Noctalys Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 “You will tell your men to cease this foolishness at once, elf.†Jaheira growled. The elf showed no fear, but as he struggled to get away and Jaheira’s blade bit closer to his skin, he reluctantly snarled “disengage the enemy!†Now that Vessa no longer had to worry over the immediate threat of a sword being introduced to her gut, she surveyed the battle. Jan wasn’t injured at all, Immy was favoring her left leg slightly, Anomen’s armor had a dent in it, Minsc was severely wounded and was rapidly quaffing healing potions, and Jaheira was currently holding a hostage. The elves had all either been knocked out of the trees or had jumped down of their own volition. There looked to be four of them, not counting their leader, and two were heavily wounded. One was knocked out by Jaheira’s staff, and the last one was standing over…was standing over… “SOLAUFEIN!†Vessa shouted, her stomach icing over with dread and fear. He was lying on the ground, an ever widening pool of blood being fed by the wound in his chest. Vessa could not tell if he was conscious or not, and she was so hysterical at the thought of him dying that she tried running to him, heedless of the still armed elves standing near him. NO NO NONONONONO He cannot be dead he cannot be dead no… Her way was barred by the three elves, and they were not letting her through. “Anomen!†Vessa shouted,“hurry! Heal Solaufein!†Anomen had already been attempting to do so, but one of the elves had aimed his bow at Solaufein’s prone body. “Take one step closer and I’ll end his life sooner! “You WILL drop your weapons now!†Vessa screamed, “we have your leader hostage, and he *will* die if you do not comply!†Solaufein! Please, please do not let him die! Please “Don’t listen to her, my brothers! My life is worth nothing next to the death of a Drow!†Vessa could feel the ice in her heart melt, only to be replaced by a blood-red fire. She knew what would come next, but this time she wasn’t sure she wanted it to stop. “You *will* stand aside, and you *will* leave us in peace, do you understand me?†Her voice was low, icy, and sibilant, “If you do not comply immediately, you will not enjoy the consequences…and if you do not leave quickly enough, and he dies because of it, I will hunt each of you down…and I will make you suffer.†The black anger was bubbling through her like burning pitch, the infernal power that came with it singing its song of murder all the while. From the corner of her eye, Vessa could see Imoen blanch. “You’d better do what she says, guys. You don’t want to see what comes next.†That’s right, Vessa thought bitterly, you perfect little elves. I cannot believe my own race could be so blind! Since I am with a Drow, I am a stain on your race you cannot bear, am I not? Soon you will get a taste of just what a monster I can become… Does it have to devolve to that, Vessa? Dymphna sent to her mistress, every time you unleash that beast, you lose a piece of yourself to Bhaal. You know this! It is worth it if it means saving Solaufein, Dymphna. I will not see him die, not when it in my power to stop it! This newfound ruthlessness would normally have disturbed and terrified her, but now Solaufein was in trouble, and she would do anything to protect him. “We do not fear some harlot of a Drow, fool girl!†One of the elves spat at Imoen, “and you will die along with her for defending him! All of you will!†He drew his bowstring back. “NO!†There was no time. For the first time, Vessa made no attempt to suppress the murderous taint of her sire. The pain screamed through her, agony convulsing though every nerve. The buckles of her armor slid open, causing it to slide to the ground as her clothing ripped from her ever-increasing size. Her bones shattered and reformed, her flesh shredded open and morphed into a defiled mockery of its former state. Through her suffering, she could see the elf drop his bow, his face a mixture of disgust, hatred, and horror. The horns were sprouting now, ripping through her, and her teeth drilled out of her head like macabre daggers. Then she screamed. She screamed her pain, she screamed her sorrow, she screamed her anger, and the song of death wound its way through their ears. Ripping off the last of her old flesh, she cast it aside like a husk, turning her baleful yellow eyes to the ones who would dare harm those she cared for. The part of her that was still Vessa was shut away in a tiny corner of her mind, trying to exert its control over the twisted maze of hate and murder her thoughts became. With a bestial roar she charged at the elf that would hurt Solaufein and slapped him aside like a gnat before he even had a chance to dodge. He hit a tree and slumped to the ground like a rag doll. Vessa-thing didn’t know if he was stunned or dead; Vessa-thing didn’t care. She wanted death, she wanted to kill, and she wanted them to suffer! The others were running, and Vessa-thing chased, chased the puny toys away from…something. Something important? Something they wanted to hurt, something Vessa-thing had to protect. Yes, Vessa-thing would protect that thing, and they would PAY for hurting it! She would MURDER! Two of the puny ones tried to limp away; Vessa-thing could smell the blood, could taste it even before she could devour it. She didn’t waste her time with those yet, however. She turned to the one held by the other…Vessa-thing would have attacked the other, but something stopped her…some little but commanding voice inside of her. Instead, she waited for the other to let go, and chased the enemy as he ran off. He was fast, though, very fast, and Vessa-thing cursed his quick legs and her own lumbering body. She still tried, however, she had to punish him for what he did, had to protect the thing that must be protected. He ran, faster and faster, and Vessa thing could not catch him. He kept running, and now he was far away. Vessa-thing was hurting now, her body shaking violently with the strain of supporting her enormous wrath. The mighty beast collapsed in a clatter of horns and hollow roaring, still not fully satiated on the blood that was rightfully hers. A few dark moments, a short burst of fury, was all that it had been given to kill. With one final, defiant roar, the beast left and Vessa was herself once more. Vessa got shakily to her feet, swaying even as she walked. Her armor was gone, her clothing a useless heap of tatters. She felt extremely disoriented, and the world made no sense to her. Then she remembered the reason she allowed her taint to consume her. Heedless of her nudity, Vessa raced to where Solaufein had fallen, collapsing to her knees at his side. Anomen and Jaheira both knelt beside him, sweat pouring down their brows as they worked frantically to revive the fallen Drow. His long, snowy hair was crimson with his own blood, his face ashen, his eyes were glazed and unseeing even as they faced the sky and his breath was coming in short, strangled and wheezy gasps. He occasionally whimpered softly from the pain. Vessa clutched his large hand with both of hers, praying fervently in her mind for him to live. She felt something hot trickle down her face. Blood? Tears? It did not matter. He was all that mattered, and he could not die! She was shivering madly, but was only vaguely aware of something being draped across her shoulders. She reflexively clutched it around herself, but one hand still grasped Solaufein’s. She felt a hand cup her chin, and felt something being brought to her lips. Reflexively she drank it, and the pain she had already forgotten left her forehead “Wh-why is he breathing like that, Jaheira?! Please tell me you can heal him!†Vessa said, fighting away the tremble in her voice. “He bleeds inwardly, Vessa,†Jaheira replied, “he has lost much blood; his very lungs are flooding with it. Though a spell may close his wound, we need much more than that if we are to return that which was lost. It will take all of my and Anomen’s power to pull him from the brink of death. He…he may not make it. Now, do not distract me, child! I must dedicate every second to his care!†Vessa did not know how long she lingered in the hell of waiting. Minutes? Hours? Time held no meaning for her now, save that every second he still breathed was a second she blessed in her heart. She was unaware of just how tightly she was clutching Solaufein’s hand, or just how shallow and irregular her breathing was. Eventually she became slightly aware of a hand pulling at her shoulder, and the voice of Imoen, her sister and friend, telling her she should perhaps fix herself up. Vessa would have none of it, however, and no amount of prodding would move her from the spot. The world around her was dark, and this scared Vessa all the more; her infravision was detecting only the merest traces of heat emanating from Solaufein. The two healers working on him glowed brightly, however. They were sweating with exertion, breathing heavily as they chanted still more spells, as they combined magic with the mundane to staunch his bleeding and drain his lungs. His eyes…she did not like what she saw in his eyes. They were not twinkling with laughter, not unfocused with dreaming or burning with intensity…his eyes were cold, so very cold. Something…something was changing within those dying eyes. Vessa could see it, she could almost taste it as her stomach was writhing around within her like a snake trying to bite its own tail. There was a spark in them now, a dawning of life! She could see it! Quickly she looked to check his wound. There was no indication there had ever been one, save the cut away fabric of his tunic or the fact that he was lying in a pool of his own congealing blood. Vessa allowed the tears to run freely down her face now, tears of absolute, radiant joy, and the first thing she did upon hearing him breathe properly was to nearly strangle said breath out of him by throwing herself upon him with all the force of her fervent, and surprisingly strong, embrace. *** The first thing Solaufein noticed upon being pulled from the brink of his own demise was that he was tired and sore. The second thing he noticed was that a beautiful woman clad only in a cloak had just thrown herself on top of him, and it seemed she was trying to burrow her face into his chest. “IamsohappyyouareokIwassoscaredandIthoughtyouweregoingtodieneverdothatagainorIwillpersonallydragyouf romtheheavensmyself†The words were muffled due to being spoken into his sternum, and they tumbled out of her lips so fast he could barely understand them, but he got the gist of it nonetheless. He wondered for a moment if he had perhaps died and this was the heaven blessed Eilistraee promised for all her followers. He smiled, sighed happily and wrapped his arms around her in return, one draped across her back and his other hand gathering in handfuls of hair at the nape of her neck. “Vessa, I believe you will strangle the Drow if you keep clinging to his neck so tightly. Although I will admit, he *does* seem to be enjoying himself…†this last bit was said with a trace of amusement, and Solaufein realized immediately of what it was she referred. Now, how to handle this situation delicately? Solaufein wondered. He had an inclination that surfacers had some sort of silly taboo about showing such…physical reactions in public. Vessa sheepishly loosened her grasp around his neck and looked into his face, seemingly oblivious to Jaheira’s inferred joke. If the dampness at his chest wasn’t enough, he could tell she had been crying by the redness of her eyes and the tears still running down her cheeks. He also noticed there was blood on her face, but he could detect no wound. She was truly scared to lose me… He tenderly wiped away her tears and smiled warmly at her. “I am glad to see you safe and unharmed as well, my Little Poet,†Solaufein pulled her close and kissed her forehead as she hiccoughed, “Do not shed tears over me.†“Well do not scare me like that, and I will not cry!†Vessa said, but her relieved smile stayed nonetheless. “Oh, come now,†Solaufein replied with a grin, “surely you realize by now that I am rather hard to kill? And you have to admit, I am older and more experienced than you. You needn’t worry for my safety, I assure you.†Vessa rolled her eyes, “Sola, is this *really* the best time to brag at your durability when you are so weak you can't even sit up without assistance?†“Well I don’t know, Vessa, it would seem a large part of him has recovered beautifully!†Jan said with a smirk. “What?†Solaufein pulled her head closer to his own, and his soft breath tickled her ear, “the only reason I am remaining in this position,†he purred, “is the fact that there seems to be a beautiful, naked woman lying atop me, and I am enjoying this so much that I intend to thoroughly savor the experience by remaining here.†Solaufein couldn’t help but laugh as Vessa gasped sharply and her eyes widened in shock. He heard chuckling, and the sound of footsteps. Imoen had approached, and was holding the sad remnants of what appeared to be an article of clothing. “You know, Vessa,†the pink-haired girl began, “you should really learn to control the Slayer, if only to protect your wardrobe.†Vessa’s blush deepened considerably as the full weight of what both Solaufein and Imoen had said dawned on her. She jumped up with a squeak, wrapped her cloak around her, grabbed her backpack, and fled into the relative privacy of the woods. Imoen ran after her, teasing her all the way. Pity, Solaufein thought to himself as he watched Vessa run off, shapely legs in full view, I must say I am rather sad to see her go… Jan grinned devilishly, “You know, this reminds me of the time when Aunt Barida joined a nudist colony. Very colorful characters there, you see. Although they weren’t colorful in the way you’d think. It turns out the mushrooms they had become so fond of eating had the added side effect of turning their…†“You know, in all my time at the Order, I cannot recall a single story in which a maiden behaved quite like that,†Anomen hastily began in order to cut Jan off. Solaufein noticed that the normally hale knight looked beyond the point of exhaustion, “and while I am sure any member of the Order would have reacted similarly to said maiden’s behavior, platemail armor covers that up quite nicely. You should consider investing in a suit for yourself.†Anomen finished with a wink. Solaufein was extremely surprised. Did the knight just make an off-color joke? And more importantly, was that relief on his face? “Indeed,†said a drained Jaheira, a hint of laughter in her voice, “though, poets *are* known for their ‘ardor’, so to speak.†Solaufein couldn’t help but grin at them as he sat up. “Yes, well…anway, you two have saved my life! I fear I do not have the words to properly express my gratitude.†“It was not only us,†Jaheira began. She related to Solaufein the entire story of the elves, Vessa becoming the Slayer to chase them off, and their own frantic attempts to heal him. “I must say, old cleric Lysander would have been pleased had he seen my efforts this day.†Anomen said proudly. He looked to be rather faint, “there was no guarantee you would pull through.†“Yes, Anomen, you heroically healed Solaufein all by yourself, ripping him from the mighty jaws of death with your great power and skill,†Jaheira replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice. “Er…well of course, you did help. That was some very impressive helping you did, yes ma’am.†“You mentioned some of the elves were wounded…where are they now?†Solaufein asked. He was answered by the loud clanking of platemail as Minsc came tromping out of the woods, an extremely satisfied smile on his face. “Minsc took the mean elves out of here, oh yes! Boo told Minsc to carry them all far away and now they won’t be bothering us again!†“They will survive,†Jaheira said, “though I found their behavior quite abhorrent. To attack merely because they saw a lone Drow in the party…ridiculous, I tell you! But come, enough of this talk. You should get yourself cleaned up; you are attracting every single insect in this entire forest to you while you are covered in blood.†Jaheira had a point. He found himself the unwitting host of a variety of unpleasant insects, all crawling over him and getting stuck in his own blood. He grabbed a change of clothing, his spare water skin, and a towel to clean himself up. Who knew drying blood could be so itchy? *** Vessa had volunteered to be the wood gatherer for the evening, because she needed some time to collect her thoughts. Her body was tired; yes, very tired, and her mind ached. The hollowness within her had intensified when she willingly gave herself to the Slayer. Worst of all, however, was the grief in her heart. Is it going to be like this for him forever? She thought to herself as she twisted one of her long braids in her hands, completely forgetting about gathering wood, is he going to be attacked, persecuted, and hunted down like an animal simply for his skin? Is this the culmination of the freedom he dreamed of, the freedom he fought and bled for? She shook her head at the thought. No, I have read in Candlekeep of groups of Drow successfully living on the surface, under Eilistraee. Perhaps…perhaps we could find a place like that, when this is over. Of course, that would be assuming I get my soul back, AND assuming he would wish to stay with me. I would travel to the ends of Toril with him, if that is what it takes to find a place he would truly be happy. He is my friend, and yet he means even more to me than that… Did it ever occur to you that you should perhaps *voice* these sentiments to him instead of walking around in a daze, mulling them over in your head? Dymphna communicated to Vessa, landing on her shoulder after swallowing a thankfully unidentifiable chunk of dead flesh, After all, you humanoids seem quite intent on this whole “communication†business. I say a few simple songs will tell your entire heart true, but you insist on muddling things up with your ‘shades of grey’ and whatnot. There are never any absolutes until something drastic happens, it seems. Tell him what, Dymphna? That I worry over him constantly? Or that I wish I could protect him from the cruelty of the world? Or that I see his face every time I close my eyes? Or that even though I am a Bhaalspawn and a monster, I still lo- here she stopped herself. Still what, Vessa? I don’t think I quite caught that last bit. Er…nothing, Dymphna, nothing at all. Oh come now, enough with this foolishness! You and I both know well enough how you feel about the Drow, now admit it to yourself and save us both some grief! I am sure I do not know what you are talking about. Vessa was unable to continue her denial, however, for her familiar’s sharp beak was now tugging roughly at her earlobe. “OUCH! Ouch ouch ouch ouch! Stop that right now, you insufferable silver chicken!†Vessa shouted aloud as she tried unsuccessfully to bat her familiar away from her sensitive ear, “Stop I say!†Not until you admit your feelings for him, Vessa. I am doing this for your own good, you know. You are a very stubborn chick, but there comes a time when even the most bull-headed must be pushed from the nest… The tugging was actually bringing tears to her eyes. She had forgotten how sensitive her ears could be, now she was away from Candlekeep and there were no children around to yank at them. Ouch! You…you BRUTE! You cruel, carrion-eating, violent brute! Yes, yes, whatever you say, Vessa. Now, the admission, please. Never!! “AAIIGH!†OK FINE! I LOVE SOLAUFEIN! There, happy now? I am pretty sure I am losing blood quite rapidly from my poor, eviscerated appendage. Ok, now say it with actual meaning, and not because I was swiftly granting you hearing loss. Fine. I love…gods, I really *do* love him. Oh… Why do you sound so disappointed with yourself? Because! I am a Bhaalspawn! A life with me would bring him nothing but misery, assuming he even wants to be with me! Pfeh. I am quite sure your heritage means less to him than a pile of owl pellets, Vessa, just as his own heritage means little to you. As I said, you humanoids can be so foolish sometimes. It is also quite obvious he wants to be with you, anyway. How can you say that, Dymphna? He has never *said* anything… He does not have to, fool girl! Even if you do not take into account the fact that he’s always looking for an excuse to speak with you, or staring at you when he doesn’t think you are looking, or the fact that he has been reading far more poetry of love than he did when first we knew him, you must surely realize by now that your familiar can sense such things. How can you- I know, Vessa. Trust me, I just know. Vessa sighed in exasperation. Fine, Dymphna. Whatever you say. She did not realize that she had been wandering aimlessly as she held discourse with her familiar, and she found that she had wandered into a large field of…a large field of… “By all gods! I have not seen the like since….†*** Solaufein had finished washing away most of the blood on his body and tangled hair, and was now leaning against a tree trunk near the campsite they had chosen, brooding as was his wont. Once again, because of him the group was targeted. Once again, he was attacked because of his race. Is there to be no respite for me? He wondered to himself as he gently stroked the kitten in his arms, is this it? The life of a rogue and a wanderer, to be hunted wherever I tread? I wonder if that famous Drow, Drizzt, encountered such difficulties when he first escaped to the surface. It is something to ponder, I suppose. But in the meantime, mayhap…mayhap I should leave? He was startled out of his thoughts by something tugging at his hand, causing his kitten to jump from his arms and saunter over to Minsc with affronted dignity. He looked down and saw it was Vessa, excitement shining in her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion, most likely from running, and she was grinning widely. “Come on, Solaufein! There is something I wish to show you.†Solaufein did not wish to dampen the high spirits of his friend, but he had no desire to be roused from his ruminations. “Perhaps later, Vessa. For now I am rather…distracted.†Her face fell, but her eyes quickly lit up once again, this time with mischief, “Ok, fine, then. Whatever you say….†This is odd, Solaufein thought to himself, usually she puts up more of a fight than- His thoughts were abruptly ended when he felt little fingers dancing across his ribs. He had never felt such a sensation before…he felt as if he wanted to jump away, yet it was not an unpleasant feeling. He tried to squirm away, choking down laughter as he did so, but Vessa was not giving up. Finally he decided to reciprocate in kind, and he found himself guffawing loudly at Vessa’s attempts to escape his clutches while still trying to subdue him with her own. The attacks went on for a little while, and they ended up collapsed on the ground, breathless with giggling, and completely apathetic to the bemused looks of their companions. “Really, my lady, could you not perhaps save such indecorous behavior for a more…private…setting?†Anomen began, “I would rather like to think that my leader had at least SOME measure of-“ “You know, this reminds me of the time I invented the Janson Patented Ticklemaster Delight*tm. I was going to put it on the market, but the name unfortunately sounded too much like an, er…intimate plaything, so I had to quit distributing it or face incarceration-†Jan said. “Oh yes, Jan, I truly regret that they did not arrest you. I would pay much gold to see you telling your stories to a grizzled killer,†Jaheira said with amusement, “I am sure he would find many alternate uses for that turnip peeler of yours…†“Boo is quite the little ticklemaster as he runs across Minsc’s scalp at night, oh yes! Sometimes it takes Minsc hours to fall asleep if Boo is feeling particularly energetic†“I think I saw something like your Ticklemaster in a naughty lingerie shop once, Jan. It was selling out quite fast, if I remember correctly. You sure you pulled it off the market completely?†Imoen said, “Well, not *completely*, per say…let’s just say I became very selective with my clientele in regards to that particular item.†Jaheira turned to Imoen, a stern look in her eye, “Child, what on Toril were you doing in a shop like that?†“What? They sell a lot of great pink stuff! Do you know how hard it is to find pink underclothes?†“I would have to agree with Immy there,†Vessa began, “Some of those lingerie seamstresses can be rather…creative…in their designs.†“SUCH TALK IS NOT MEANT FOR A MAN’S EARS!! Anomen shouted, dismayed by what he was hearing, “I am a champion of Helm, I harbor no impure thoughts. I am a champion of Helm, I harbor no impure thoughts, I am a champion of Helm…†Now that the other members of the party were sufficiently distracted by Anomen’s consternation, Solaufein leaned in close to Vessa and whispered, “now, tell me a bit more about these creative designs? I find that my interest has been quite…piqued…by what you imply.†Vessa looked to be struck dumb by his words, and he laughed as the blush on her face grew with an astounding rapidity. “I…er…um…that is…er…I WAS NOT IMPLYING ANYTHING! It was all completely innocent. Yes, that is what it was. Nothing untoward here, no, not I.†Solaufein allowed his face to show disappointment, “Oh? That is too bad. I must say I was rather entertained by the thoughts forming in my head at the idea of you…†“YES WELL UM…..Now that you have suffered the infamous ‘Candlekeep Tickle Torture of DOOOOOM’, have I sufficiently convinced you to come with me? Or shall I have to continue?†Vessa said quickly. Solaufein allowed the subject to be changed…for now. He chuckled lightly at this comment, “Tickle, is that what this is called? Well, Vessa, I am sorely tempted to take you up on your offer of continuing, truly.†As he spoke, he had snaked his arm around her to keep her from running, and proceeded to tickle her belly. She squealed and tried to wriggle away, playfully batting at him and calling him a cheater. “Vessa, I am Drow,†he said with a wide grin that threatened to devour his face, “you should know by now that my race isn’t known for playing fair…†He should not have allowed himself to be distracted, however, for now she was tickling his armpits, which proved to be very sensitive spots indeed. “Ha ha ha ha! All right, Vessa, you stubborn little imp! I yield! I yield!†Vessa gracefully leapt to her feet and wordlessly held her hand out to him, still grinning largely. Solaufein found the expression rather endearing, and took her hand. Without warning she sprinted off, taking him by surprise as he struggled to keep up. Thankfully he was able to match his pace with hers quickly, for he didn’t want to appear ungainly in her sight. Vessa was slowing slightly now, and Solaufein could see the trees thinning ahead. She let go of his hand and motioned him to keep going. He could hear birds twittering sleepily, and the heady scent of some exotic perfume clouded the air. He was just about to part the final boughs obscuring his vision when Vessa came up behind him, got on her tip-toes, and covered his eyes with her hands. His eyes widened at the feeling of her chest pressed against his back, and without realizing it he leaned into her, almost causing her to stumble. “Whoa, Solaufein! I would gladly carry you to the ends of Toril if that is your wish, but you must wait until I find a stronger back first!†Vessa said, laughing merrily. Solaufein was still rather distracted by the softness of her breasts pressed against his back, which made him recall how they felt unclothed against his chest, which made him imagine how they would feel if….anyway, all he could manage was an incoherent mumble. “Well, what are you waiting for? Keep walking…oh, come on, do you not trust me?†“With my very life,†Solaufein said gravely. He walked forward a few more steps, trusting in her to make sure he did not stumble. “Ok, now I am going to uncover your eyes, and you are going to see one of the most amazing sights on all of Faerun.†Her hands slowly slipped away, and she backed away from him. Solaufein was amazed by what his eyes revealed. It was an entire field of the loveliest flowers he had ever seen. They were in full bloom beneath Eilistraee’s moon, and they each glowed with a soft, gorgeous, pastel inner light, reminiscent of fireflies. They all seemed to be the same species of flower, but they were in a myriad of colors, in shades and tints Solaufein had never seen before. The smell snaking its tendrils to his nose was absolutely intoxicating, and he spent a few minutes absorbing in the breathtaking sight before him. He felt a hand, so delicate in comparison to his own, slip into his once more. Her grip was firm, but not domineering. “You know,†she began shyly as she looked up at him, “When I was a little girl, Gorion took me to the only other field of these flowers that I know of and taught me a little of the world. ‘Do you see all the different colors?’ he asked, ‘each flower is lovely, is it not? Each one is unique, and they all serve to make the field that much brighter. And yet, should even one of these colors be erased from the field, it would never match its former glory. Choose a color, Vessa. Choose any color, and I shall remove it and show you what I mean.†“Which color did you choose, Vessa?†Solaufein asked. He had always been curious as to her past, and he found this spontaneous revelation rather intriguing. Vessa chuckled softly as she continued, “Yellow, I chose yellow. I have never been over fond of that particular color. I remember how impressed I was when Gorion made all the yellow flowers close up with a wave of his hand. I found that, even though the color I did not care for was gone, the entire field looked dull, looked incomplete, you know? I remember I begged Gorion to make the yellow ones bloom again, for I hated the thought of the field being spoiled.†“Did he?†“Of course he did,†Vessa’s smile was warm and her eyes were distant with nostalgia as she spoke, “he said ‘Do you see now, little Duvheassa? Do you see the effect your dislike had on the field? If the yellow flowers were not meant to be there, then the field would not look less lovely for their passing.†She now looked intently at Solaufein, and it seemed to him her eyes were trying to read his reaction. “You knew I was thinking of leaving, didn’t you?†He said in response to her gaze. The smile on her face faded as he said that, “Y-yes, I had a feeling you would. I was hoping that, well… I was hoping that maybe you would stay, if I told you about what Gorion taught me…it sounded less foolish before I spoke it aloud, truly. You…you are not still planning on leaving, are you?†Her face showed true distress at the thought. “Why do you wish me to stay if I cause more fighting and grief by my very presence? Surely you suffer enough of the fool prejudices of surfacers without my presence exacerbating the situation?†“Solaufein, your absence would cause me more grief and suffering than your presence ever could.†She met his eyes directly as she said this, and he saw honesty and determination in those moonlit orbs. Her other hand joined the first in holding his own. “Please, do not go.†She whispered softly. He found himself touched by that quiet request, and he couldn’t bring himself to leave her. No, not…not after hearing this. “I will not leave, Vessa,†he smiled reassuringly as he saw relief flow across her face like the dawning sun breaking through the clouds, “I would like to ask a question, however. Was I the yellow flower in that little parable of yours?†“Most certainly not!†Vessa began, “you are the purple flower, because purple is my favorite color.†She caught herself too late, and quickly looked away, embarrassed by her inadvertent compliment. “Indeed? That is…good to know.†A gentle breeze blew as they both spent some time together, simply staring at the flowers and enjoying each other’s company in companionable silence. After a long while of this, Vessa sighed and broke the quiet. “Solaufein…is this not truly beautiful?†Solaufein smiled down at her and picked the loveliest purple flower he could find in all the field, “not half as beautiful as you, my Little Poet.†He then wove the flower in with her braids, but did not move away when he was finished. Vessa was still gazing at him as he turned to face her fully, and did not seem to mind his closeness. Cautiously, he put his hands on her shoulders and drew her even closer, bending his head lower. Vessa’s eyes trembled closed, as did his own, and their breaths were commingling as his lips drew still nearer to her own. His very heart fluttered madly…nearer…nearer… A twig snapped, the tiny sound multiplied a thousand fold in their minds, startling them both. Vessa instinctively drew closer to Solaufein, who covered her protectively with one arm. With his free hand he drew his sword, ready to fight at the first sign of aggression. “My Lady! There you are! We are urgently awaiting wood for the fire! I certainly hope you…†Solaufein smirked to see that even Anomen had the grace to blush at such an obvious fib. Anomen stopped, his mouth spasmodically opening and closing like a drowning fish, unable to find the correct words to speak at the sight of his leader and a Drow seemingly embracing, “Oh dear…I seem to have interrupted something. Much as I may not approve of such open displays of affection...er…well, I guess it wasn’t exactly open, as you were in the relative privacy of the forest and I barged in at a most inopportune time,†he shifted his feet in embarrassment, “I…I suppose your affairs are your own, my Lady,†he cleared his throat awkwardly several times, “he does seem to mean…very much to you.†The words sounded as though Anomen had to force them from his chest, but Solaufein could tell there was good intent behind them, “However, do not for one moment think this negates your duty of collecting firewood. I certainly will not be doing so for you, dalliance or no.†With that he walked off, not once looking behind him. Vessa sighed and grinned up at Solaufein, but he thought he could detect regret in her dark eyes, “I suppose he is right. There is nothing more heroic than gathering dead wood to fuel a campfire, is there, Solaufein?†“Surely, bards are running their inkwells dry attempting to commemorate this momentous occasion,†Solaufein said dryly as he reluctantly released her from his embrace, “I suppose it would be cruel to keep from them the amazing tales of our exploits, in which we wrest the unwilling lumber from the unyielding earth to feed the fire that shall save millions of lives.†“Ha! Come then, Solaufein, let us heroically gather the wood, for tomorrow, we may need the heat from the fire to warm our hearts as we face the cold glares of the witch!†Solaufein grinned and rolled his eyes at her words. That woman could turn the most mundane of activities into an adventure, can’t she? Link to comment
Noctalys Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 Greetings, all! My apologies for the delay, Real Life*tm was being evil. AUTHOR'S NOTE: The beginning of the chapter is a bit risque. There is nothing blatant, but things are implied. If you still feel this would offend you, it would behoove you to scroll down a bit and continue reading from there. Enjoy! Chapter 13: Merely The Beginning The colored flowers were blooming, filling the air with their sultry aroma. The decadent night sky enveloped them both with its velvet caress, and the wind was cool and gentle across his bare back. However, the only thing that mattered to Solaufein was the beautiful woman standing before him, gazing up at him with eyes that glowed hot with desire. He gently stroked her cheek, smiling as she leaned into him. Though he trusted her completely, he was still conditioned to harsh treatment in such a situation and was pleasantly surprised when her touch was gentle. Her little fingers were shyly exploring him now, tracing the outline of every muscle of his chest and stomach, making him growl his approval. He pulled her close in his strong embrace, leaning his head to hers. Her soft lips yielded deliciously to his own, and he found his hands were traveling the length of her back as they matched the rhythm of his tongue. He could feel her heart beating faster against his chest, could feel her silky hair playing in his fingers. Her hands were dancing across his back now, and the feel of her nails softly dragging across his skin almost made him purr. His lips drifted to her throat, causing her to murmur in delight as he lavished leisurely kisses on the vulnerable skin there. His hands began unlacing her tunic, causing her to blush deeply even as her kisses landed on his chest and neck like droplets of rain. He slipped his hands onto her ribcage even as her light tunic was drifting from her ivory shoulders. She backed up suddenly, looking bashfully away, and tried to cover herself. “Vessa, you are perfection to my eyes. Be proud of your beauty, there is nothing to be shy of,†he murmured, slipping his hands around her again. Slowly his hands slid upwards, gently tickling, and cupped her breasts. He heard her gasp at the sensation, and he marveled at the perfection he felt in his hands, the same perfection he had felt on his chest not so long ago. He could feel her trembling with yearning against him. He dropped one hand and cupped her bottom, pulling her ever closer to himself. It seemed as though her shyness was falling away, she pressed herself into him, trying to get ever nearer. He picked her up, his kisses increasing in passion and fire as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He sank to his knees then, still kissing and caressing, and laid on top of her. Though they were both still wearing breeches, Solaufein’s own felt *very* tight. Vessa moved in a way that made him shiver with desire, and his body instinctively reacted to the position, grinding against her even as his nimble hands grew bolder. “Solaufein,†Vessa whispered huskily as his lips traveled further down, now exploring the length of her collarbone, “Oohhh, Vessa, I want…†Solaufein rumbled lowly in response. “Solaufein…†“Solaufein?†Solaufein opened his eyes to see none other than Vessa kneeling above him. He didn’t stop to wonder why she was on top of him when she was beneath him a precious second ago, and neither did he stop to wonder why he was suddenly in his bedroll instead of the field of glowing flowers. He merely wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her down, and rolled on top of her once more. His hands began to glide up her sides once again, and he vaguely wondered how her tunic got back on. He ignored that little detail and began tenderly nuzzling her neck. “Solaufein?!†Vessa sounded extremely surprised. Why did she sound that way? She was not surprised a moment ago… He heard a quiet snicker nearby and suddenly, it dawned on him. He had been dreaming, now had the object of said passionate dream beneath him, and had been grinding his pelvis against her the entire time she was pinned. “Solaufein, do you always wear your swordbelt to sleep? Does that not get uncomfortable?†His eyes widened at her innocent comment. Did she truly not know? “Er…†he began, his voice strangled, “one can never be too prepared. I um…I learned that lesson well in Ust Natha.†“By the gods, Vessa, did you *really* just ask him if he was wearing his SWORDBELT to bed?!†Solaufein heard Imoen say from her bedroll, laughter heavy in her voice, “You’re so incurably naïve!†He heard footsteps and turned his head up to see a highly annoyed Jaheira. “Children, if you are going to engage in such activities, would it not behoove you to do so farther in the forest, where there is less a chance of disturbing the rest of us? I am on watch, and for a moment I thought we were being attacked!†“Attacked? Oh no, Jaheira, you do not understand! I heard Solaufein moaning and calling out for me in his sleep, so I went over to check on him and saw him writhing in his bedroll. When I woke him up, he must have grabbed me on instinct. I am sorry if it startled you.†“Yes, I would say it was…instinct…as well,†Jaheira began, a ghost of a smile on her lips, “Solaufein, you may want to keep your…instincts…under more control in the future. I know of herbs that can quell them, if you wish to learn…†“You can give him herbs to cure his nightmares, Jaheira?†Vessa said, still underneath him as he had not yet moved, “that would be wonderful!†She set her eyes on Solaufein, “ Then again, your last nightmare came true…what if the herbs stop the next nightmares that warn us of danger?†“Oh, I dunno. Would it really be all that bad, Uncle Sola?†Imoen said, voice dripping with false innocence. “Um…Solaufein?†Vessa began, “no offense, but all of that muscle on you is a bit heavy. Would you mind letting me go now?†Actually, I would much prefer it if you were in this same position, but with us being in a more private setting. Solaufein thought to himself even as he shifted to the side and allowed her to leave his embrace. “Solaufein, you are not wearing a swordbelt at all!†Vessa said with surprise. Solaufein sighed deeply, “No, Vessa, I am not wearing a swordbelt. That was me you felt. Now, if you’ll excuse me?†With that he got up and, without looking behind him, made his way towards the nearby river. It seemed he would be taking two baths this eve. However, as he walked, he found that the cool night air was enough to stifle his ardor…for now. He also found that the beauty of nature called to his ancient elven roots, and was compelled to wander and simply enjoy the natural wonders that surrounded him. As he wandered, he allowed his musings to envelop him. *** “You know, he has been out there for quite a while,†Vessa said nervously, “what if there are more elves about? Though we were not much of a deterrent before, seeing Solaufein without the company of surfacers could easily goad them into attack.†Jaheira sighed, “Child, there is still much time yet before the dawn. If you are going to babble worriedly, do so in a more quiet manner, as the humans and the gnome wish to sleep.†“I am sorry, Jaheira,†Vessa said, dropping her voice to a whisper, “I am merely concerned. He has already been attacked once this day…what if there are further patrols?†“If you’re so dang worried about him, Vessa,†Imoen whispered brightly, “why not go look for him? It can’t hurt anything.†“Er…I am not sure that is a good idea. He did leave for a…†she blushed brightly, “a reason, you know.†Imoen’s grin turned disturbing, “awww, come on, sis! You’re worried about him, aren’t ya? If he’s in trouble, you can be his heroine, and if he’s not….well, you could just say you were taking a perfectly innocent stroll through the woods. Yup, no laws against that.†“Immy, that excuse never worked when I caught you spying on me, you know.†“Er…well, it might work on him. Ya never know! And besides, he really *could* be in danger….†Vessa snorted, “Instigator. Fine, I will go. I would rather you did not accompany me, however; there is no doubt in my mind that I will once again stumble blindly into a potentially embarrassing situation, and if you are there you will only serve to exacerbate said situation.†Imoen schooled her face into a perfect mask of innocence, “what, me? Never…†Vessa felt another familiar slice of pain through her belly as she walked, and she was highly grateful there was no one around to see her fall to the ground, doubled over in agony. The attacks had been increasing in intensity, and she hoped fervently that the next one wouldn’t rip out her stomach entire. Vessa! Vessa, are you all right? Dymphna communicated to her mistress. I am fine, Dymphna. Perfectly fine, Vessa growled back through the link. You should go to a proper healer and get that looked at, Vessa! You may be damaging yourself more by ignoring it! Nonesense! Vessa stated with more confidence than she felt, It will pass, and I shall be *fine*. Now , let us go. With that, she stubbornly picked herself up and walked further into the forest. I certainly hope he will not be annoyed with me if I find him unharmed… Vessa thought to herself a few minutes later as she moved through the trees with the unconscious grace gifted to her by her elven heritage. Annoyed? Vessa’s familiar asked through their link, I believe it will be quite the opposite. It is often very flattering to see your mate worries for you. Er… we are not mates, Dymphna. And this mitigates your feelings for each other in what way? Besides, in order to become mates, all you need to do is engage in a very personal and highly pleasurable bonding…it is time you flew out of the nest for that as well, Vessa. Dymphna! I must concentrate on finding Solaufein, NOT these…rather... erm… rather intriguing images you are sending me. Oh my… The flush on Vessa’s cheeks was increasing steadily as her familiar continued to send her rather interesting images through their link. Vessa had only put up token resistance to this abuse of their bond, however. Though she was shy, she wasn’t frigid by any means. Oh no, not frigid at all. Of course, being distracted by such thoughts set her up to be completely surprised when she finally did find Solaufein. Well actually, she didn’t so much *find* him as stumble over him, truly. She stumbled right over his sitting form, in fact, landing with a decidedly ungraceful crash on the ground beside him. BLAST! Fie on you, Dymphna, fie! Vessa communicated to her familiar as she tried to pick herself up. She felt the uncomfortable sensation of dirt down her tunic, I am going to get you back for this, just you wait…maybe I will put ink on your feathers whilst you sleep… Excuse me? You seemed to be quite enjoying those educational little images I was sending you, Vessa. Don’t even blame me for your lack of attention to other matters. Not fair! You knew exactly what effect they would have on me, you did this on purpose. In fact, I would not doubt that you planned it from the start! And another thing…How *exactly* do you know so much about how elves make love? You are not even remotely in the same category as our own species! Vessa could sense her familiar was laughing loudly at her, though to her own ears it sounded more like the impudent bird was choking. “Er…Vessa? Are you quite all right?†Said Solaufein from somewhere behind her. She was now aware that her bottom had been sticking up in the air in a most undignified manner. She scrambled to sit herself upright while still managing to look refined in the process, not an easy feat considering the circumstances. She quickly whipped her hair out of her face and set to dusting herself off, avoiding Solaufein’s eyes as best she could. However, he began to aid her in dusting off, and the feel of him touching her brought back many of the more delicious bits of those distracting images. Her blush deepened at the thoughts, “Er…I er….I-it is n-nothing,†She managed to stutter. “Are you certain?†He asked uncertainly, “you are quite flushed.†“YesIamperfectlyfine!†Vessa said quickly, hiding her face. She felt so very awkward right now. He made her feel things she had never experienced before. Was this normal? She had no frame of reference....they had certainly never mentioned anything like *this* in the anatomy books at Candlekeep. No, no mention of how he made her heart pound at her ribs like it wanted to escape the prison of her flesh, or how his touch on her skin felt like white-hot magma was pouring from his fingertips, or how his every word enraptured her senses… no mention at all. Not only that but…wait…was that a twig in her cleavage?! It was! Oh, the indignity of it all! Vessa grunted with disgust as she proceeded to fish said twig out of her bosom, completely failing to notice the sharp intake of breath this action produced in the now-mesmerized Drow sitting beside her. The blasted think kept wriggling out of her grasp, and she thought with chagrin that it was sentient and avoiding her on purpose. I swear, this is absolutely ridiculous, I cannot believe I am being subjected to the machinations of an evil, sentient twig. What does it think it is going to do down there, plant down some roots and grow? And just *what* are you laughing about, Dymphna?! Blasted feather-brained, flat-beaked, showoff silver bird… Vessa had risen to her knees now and was leaning forward, shaking her top in an attempt to dislodge the offensive piece of a vascular plant. The stubborn twig really did seem to have grown roots, for all the shimmying in the world would not extricate the thing. Finally she turned her back on Solaufein, thinking herself to be discreet, and unlaced her tunic to fish the twig out. What she failed to realize was that her bottom was now waving to and fro in front of him. Finally she got the offensive bit of wood out, laced her tunic hurriedly, and turned to face Solaufein once more. His eyes were wide, and Vessa’s infravision told her his face was heavily flushed. What is the matter with him? Vessa wondered, tossing the errant twig aside. Well, it could be the fact that you just performed a mating dance for him… Her familiar replied. What in Toril are you talking about, Dymphna? A highly amused snicker was all her familiar replied with. Vessa had to admit the situation was awkward, and she could not remember being looked at that way by anyone. It seemed like his eyes were going to set her on fire with the intensity of his stare. Vessa noticed a bug flying about Solaufein’s head, and in an effort to both dispose of the annoying creature and dispel the discomfiture between them, she reached to swat it away. However, her hand brushed against his ear in the process, and he growled when it did so. She quickly snatched her hand back. “Solaufein? Did I hurt you?†She could not think of why touching his ear would hurt, unless he had perhaps injured it earlier? Solaufein gave her an incredulous look, “No, you did not hurt me. My ears are highly sensitive…aren’t yours?†“What do you mean?†Vessa replied, unsure of why he was surprised. “Well, you *are* an elf… hmmm…here, let me show you.†Solaufein reached over, brushed her hair behind her ear, and began to slowly trace the odd spiral with his finger. Vessa never felt this way when her own finger touched her ear, but when Solaufein did it, a shiver tingled its way down her spine. She was glad she was sitting, for her knees felt unable to support her, and her stomach felt like it was bouncing all over inside of her. Not only that, but the tickly feeling this was causing made her want to both jump away and lean closer into him at the same time. It made her want…something. She was not quite sure what. You want to mate with him, silly, her familiar sent from their link, go ahead, he’s certainly ready. WHAT?! Dymphna, I cannot do that! Was Vessa’s shocked reply. Why not? You both want it, so…get to it! You are both likely to explode from tension if you don’t. But…I do not even know if he loves me! It is obvious he does, Vessa, else I would not counsel you so. You are as a raven, and we mate for life, you know. Well, what about…What Irenicus did? Vessa shivered in spite of herself at the thought, and was vaguely aware that she was leaning against Solaufein’s chest. He was still tracing her ears, and it felt lovely. No man in his right mind would want a woman after that, Dymphna. No man wants damaged goods. Vessa felt an explosion of deep hatred and revulsion from her familiar at the reminder of Irenicus and what he did, If Solaufein were a *real* man, he would support you, comfort you, and teach you that it is not supposed to be an act of hurt, violence or shame, no matter what Irenicus did. Vessa shifted a bit, still in such a reverie speaking with her familiar that she did not fully enjoy the treatment she was receiving at Solaufein’s hands. As delicious as the images Dymphna sent her earlier had been, she was still afraid of such things. Not only that, but she was terrified of Solaufein’s reaction to learning the full extent of what was done to her. Her rational mind, the one that knew Solaufein well and loved him, told her he would be outraged at the cruel, humiliating tortures she endured, and rather than push her away, he would hold her closer to his heart. However, the more insecure, self-doubting, nervous part of her mind told her that he would be disgusted by her very presence, that he would want absolutely nothing to do with her, that he would think her filthy. Just like Irenicus said… She could feel disapproval from Dymphna as she thought these things, so she tried to distract herself from such gloomy images by focusing instead on what was going on outside her mind. She had to admit, she was thoroughly enjoying the attention she was receiving now she wasn’t communing with Dymphna. However, what Solaufein was doing only increased the strange sensations she was feeling, and she began to feel uncomfortable with the whole situation. She tried to think of a way to gracefully end these attentions, lovely as they were, and an opportunity presented itself in the form of Solaufein’s unguarded ribs. Though he was usually quick to react to any sudden movements, Vessa had caught him at a vulnerable moment. She exploited this advantage without mercy, and soon he was laughing loudly, trying to reciprocate the ‘attacks’ he was receiving. Eventually Vessa jumped from his lap and began running away, laughing and knowing he would follow. She teased him, slowing down just enough for his fingertips to graze her back…right before she sped up again, as unreachable as a mirage in the golden desert. She could hear running water up ahead, but she paid it no heed. Instead, she turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Solaufein teasingly, not noticing the tree root in the path of her sprinting feet. What a spectacular trip it was! Vessa went flying, soaring over the bank of a river concealed by tall grasses and reeds, and landed with a painful flop into the water. To her the water was freezing, and she jumped in shock. The river itself wasn’t very deep; when she stood, the water line ended a bit above her navel. “You think that’s going to stop me, Vessa?†Solaufein called from the bank before jumping in. He began wading toward her, moving quickly through the water. Vessa began laughing anew as she tried to escape Solaufein, but she was not as strong as he, and the water offered quite a bit of resistance. She found herself falling into the water often in her struggles to get away, and was now shivering greatly from the cold. Finally, Solaufein leapt forward and grabbed her around the waist before she could dive into the water and attempt to swim away properly. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, pressing her back against his chest. “I have you now,†he purred softly in her ear. Vessa squirmed around and managed to face him, fully intending to splash him in the face and escape. However, he had grabbed her waist again, “You seem cold, Little Poet. Your lips are almost blue,†was all he said before he lifted her up and out of the water. Try as she might, Vessa couldn’t suppress her laughter, “Solaufein! You put me down right this instant!†Solaufein began to spin around, grinning up at her as she laughed with joy. She cherished the sparkling red stars of his eyes, prized the carefree look on his face. Such a sight was all too rare in the melancholy Drow. As they spun around and the world became a blur of fantastic colors and shapes, their eyes met once more, and it seemed as if the entire universe had distilled itself into a precious droplet, dangling tremulously on the tip of a leaf. Their smiles faded, the laughter in their eyes replaced with something far more fiery. For one blessed second, all the awkwardness, all the uncertainty and fear, all of it washed away like bitter ash after a long rain. As Solaufein brought Vessa ever closer, it seemed as though that droplet of her universe held itself still in time, awaiting breathlessly the moment that could crystallize it forever, or dash it cruelly from the leaf. Her eyes fluttered, then drifted shut just as his lips landed softly on her own. Unconsciously, the arms that were clinging to Solaufein just a moment ago wrapped themselves around his neck, and Vessa’s once cold body felt warmed by a new kind of blaze, a heat she had never felt before. She could feel his arms wrapped securely around her, cradling her body against his own as his kiss lingered. Vessa was thoroughly enjoying this new experience, and all other thoughts had fast flown from her mind. Solaufein had become her entire world. Though his kiss had begun gently enough, his fervor increased. Vessa opened her eyes in surprise as she felt Solaufein’s tongue glide across her bottom lip. Aaaah! I have never kissed anybody before! What if I am not adequately experienced? What is he doing with his tongue? What am I supposed to do?! Vessa thought to herself, teetering on the edge of that special kind of panic one only feels during a potentially incredibly awkward social moment. You’re doing fine, Vessa! Dymphna communicated to her, trust me, from this angle, he looks to be enjoying himself immensely. You trust him, don’t you? Just follow his lead! Vessa *did* trust him, and so tried to take her familiar’s advice to heart. However, just as he began teasing her lips apart, he pulled his head away. His crimson eyes seemed dazed, he was breathing heavily, and Vessa noticed that she was as well. He seemed to be hesitating between letting her go, and holding her even closer to himself. In the end, he decided to keep his arms around her as he spoke. “Vessa,†he said hoarsely as he moved a strand of wet hair from her face, “It must be obvious by now. I desire you, and I will wait for you so long as you need. However, *please* do not tease me further like you did earlier. I don’t believe I can take that a second time.†“You…you what? H-how did I tease you?†Vessa spluttered, surprised by his frankness. She guessed such bluntness was common in Drow culture, however. This called to mind the argument she had with Dymphna previously, and all the things Irenicus did to her. Vessa shook her head sadly at Solaufein. “No, Solaufein, you do not want me,†she said, turning her head away from his gaze, “Irenicus…h-he did…he d-did *things* to m-mme,†she started shivering, “he h-hurt me an-and he ma…made sure n-no man would ev…ever l-love me. He t-told me so…o-over and over…†she could not bring herself to tell him the entire truth, the whole story, and it made her feel even more miserable about herself as a result. She had been trying so hard not to let what Irenicus did rule her life, tried so hard to ignore it and just live as normally as she could, but the memories of what happened and her guilt for not telling Solaufein the entire truth ripped at her to the point where her carefully crafted walls seemed to be crashing all around her. She tried unsuccessfully to dam up her tears, and she steeled herself for the rejection she knew would come even with this partial confession. She felt Solaufein remove one arm from around her and knew without a doubt that he would push her away. Needless to say, she was shocked when Solaufein gently traced her jaw line with his fingers, wiping droplets of water and tears away before cupping her chin and turning her head to face him. “Look at me, Vessa,†he began, now cradling her cheek tenderly and stroking it with his thumb, “you couldn’t be farther from the truth. It is easy, so very easy to… to care for one such as you. Irenicus zhah biu verin s'ck fa'la zatoast!†he hissed in his native tongue before his gaze softened and he held her closer, “treemma naut, whol usstan zhal sslig'ne dos dal ukta, ussta ssin'urn uss,†he whispered protectively in her ear. “Wh…what did you just say?†Vessa whispered back as she took comfort in his unexpected embrace, burying her face in his chest. She tried to make sense of his words. The first sentence was said in anger, but the last… the last was said with a tenderness most surfacers would never expect from such a tongue. Solaufein smiled down at her mysteriously, “what did I say? Your heart shall know in time. For now, all you need to know…is this,†with that, he brought his lips to hers once more. Vessa closed her eyes and leaned into Solaufein, feeling completely safe in his strong embrace and perfectly content in the immeasurable sweetness of his kiss. *** Ignoring the questioning comments both he and Vessa received from their comrades on their return to the campsite, they had gone about their business as if it was perfectly normal to walk into camp both fully clothed and sopping wet. “OOOOHHH Vessa, just what were you two doing out there?†Imoen began, giggling in amusement. Though Solaufein was still leery of showing affection in public, he shoved his misgivings aside, and wrapped his arm around Vessa’s shoulders. He gave Imoen a level stare before replying, “that, miss Imoen, is private.†However, Vessa’s face, which was in the corner of his eye, bloomed with heat his infravision detected. “Er…y-yes, that is right, Immy. None of your business,†Vessa replied while leaning into Solaufein, “and on that note, I suppose I shall retire for the night. We have a long day ahead of us, yes?†Once this was said, Vessa took her pack and walked off into the bushes, where Solaufein assumed she was changing into dryer clothing. He decided to follow suit, and when he returned, he saw her settling down for the night, her bedroll now conspicuously far away from the still-giggling Imoen. Vessa had fallen into reverie rather quickly, and Solaufein had moved his bedroll nearer to hers, watching the peaceful rise and fall of the blankets she was securely tucked within. She was lying on her side, curled up as was her wont, but, for once, she wore a smile on her face. His mind slipped back into the context of his earlier dream as he watched her reverie. He could not remember the last time any dream had been so…pleasant. In fact, the last time he had dreamed instead of reveried, the entire party was attacked by demonic Lolth-spiders. This was…different, however. In the dream there had been much shared passion, and there were none of the staples he had come to expect from his previous experiences in his own society. He remembered the time he and Phaere had once shared together. Though things had become less violent as their relationship progressed, it was still nothing at all like this dream. He wondered how he could dream of something he had never experienced. After all, his dreams of the sun were pale reflections of the true, awesome power of that burning orb. He checked his wandering mind and focused more on the only relationship he had ever known. One of the most painful things about his relationship with Phaere was the fact that she never allowed him to touch her except during massage or sex. He could never just hold her, or touch her, or show her any sort of affection whatsoever. What had confused him the most was how illogical his feelings had seemed in light of his situation. Phaere behaved as any proper Drow would, always; centuries of betrayals and murder had corroded her ability to trust. Even when they were at their closest, Phaere could never fully let her guard down around him. Always he found excuses just to touch her… dust on her clothing, a smudge on her flawless ebony skin…but it was just never enough. He remembered how isolated he felt, and how at the same time he chided himself for allowing himself to slip up in her presence. Oh, how badly it had hurt when she was taken away…and how badly she had hurt him when she returned. Of course, the “new Phaere†couldn’t possibly comprehend the fact that her emotional cruelty towards him hurt worse than any tentacle rods ever could. He tried to banish his melancholy reminiscing by focusing on Vessa once more. How different his life on the surface was compared to that of the Underdark! Vessa had taught him so much since his departure to the surface, and he had a strong suspicion she didn’t even realize this. He wasn’t just referring to his education on surfacer etiquette, either; he was also referring to her teaching him that kindness was not taboo and gentleness was not a sin. Already she had shown him, a houseless Drow with nothing of material value to give, more trust and affection than Phaere ever could. She had touched him, held him, comforted him, allowed herself to sleep by his side, in his arms, with no hesitation or disdain whatsoever. This gift of trust was so beautiful to him, and he cursed his inability to express how he felt. Vessa slept so close to him, and yet so very far. She was as a star in the sky; seemingly fixed and immutable, but now she seemed forever out of his grasp. He wondered if, perhaps, he could just hold her, one more time. He wanted to feel that trust again, he wanted to know that affection once more. At the same time, he hesitated. What if she dashed his hand away even in her sleep, as Phaere had done many times before? He shook his head at the lack of logic in his own thoughts and carefully, tentatively, wrapped a single arm around her waist. He froze as Vessa’s eyes fluttered open and rested drowsily upon his face. She smiled that slow, sweet smile of someone not quite awake, and curled up close to him. It was not long before she was fully asleep, wrapped firmly in Solaufein’s arms. He enjoyed the feel of her in his embrace, relished the sensation of her soft breath on his neck as she slept. Now ready to slip into reverie himself, he sleepily wondered if the dream he had was a portent of the future. After all, he reveried far more often than he dreamed, and his past dreams have come true whilst he was on the surface… He fervently hoped this was true, and that, one day, he could admit his love for her. *** Anomen had, once again, arisen early from rest. There was some sort of commotion that had briefly disturbed his repose the night past, but he had fallen asleep quickly and so was ready to move on this morning. The first sight he witnessed upon waking, however, was that of Solaufein and Vessa, arms and legs entwined in sleep like two morning glory vines sharing a trellis. He sighed to himself. It looked as though they were both bound and determined to be with each other, despite the odds stacked high against them. Anomen could only hope this was for the best. If only Helm gave answers on matters of the heart! Solaufein was the first to stir, and Anomen watched as he registered Vessa’s presence in his arms with some surprise. However, that surprise quickly melted away into a look of love Anomen could have recognized from halfway across the world. Did the Drow have to be so blatantly obvious?! Solaufein’s hand was already securely twined through her hair, and he dragged his fingers through it, smiling tenderly all the while. As much as he might not approve of such a public display, Anomen decided it was not his place to interfere. After all, he did ruin what he assumed would have been their first kiss together. He didn’t want to spoil this peaceful moment for Solaufein as well. Helm knows he’s had few enough in his life, Anomen thought to himself, surprised at this sudden burst of empathy towards a man he was taught to hate,and for that matter, the same holds true for Vessa. They have both been through so many trials, and here they have been rewarded with each other. Vessa was awake now, and she was smiling softly as she gazed into Solaufein’s eyes, blushing as Anomen expected she would. It was clear she had no wish to leave his embrace, so instead she softly traced Solaufein’s handsome face with her delicate fingers. The contrast between their flesh was striking, like snow against black marble, but this made it look all the more beautiful. Anomen had to admit he felt the twinges of envy as he looked at the couple, for he never had what they have now. There was never a maiden who looked at him as Vessa looked at Solaufein, never a maiden who reciprocated his feelings as Vessa did Solaufein’s. He had his fill of unrequited love, however. He remembered her flaxen locks, her stunning hazel eyes, her ready smile. She was such a beautiful, noble lady, a woman any knight would be honored to champion. Of course, she was in far too high of a station for a lowly squire such as himself to even contemplate romance. He stubbornly persisted, though, and would always take the job of scrubbing the flagstones outside just so he could catch a glimpse of her as she rode by with her entourage. Her hair would drift lazily behind her on those little trips across the road, swirling threads of sunlight dancing in the breeze. Her laughter tinkled across his heart like gilded bells at the church, her smile burned itself into his mind like a brand, exquisitely painful and sweet. She was perfect. Unfortunately for him, Anomen was not the only one who felt this sentiment. A young noble by the name of Asher had his eyes on the fair lady, and he courted her well. All she had wanted in the world, he laid at her feet. In a short course of time, she had eyes for none other than Asher, and Anomen was nothing more than meaningless dust in her view. If he could, he would have brought down the moon for her, wrapped it in ropes of spun silver, and woven it through her hair. He would have sung for her until his throat burst, or slain the foulest of beasts in her name. He would have showered her with precious fabrics and jewels, a diamond for each eye, and emerald for each fingertip, and a ruby for her lovely lips. Unfortunately, he had no such fortune available to him. Even then, Lord Cor’s “empire†was vastly diminished, and Anomen would have been fortunate to even be able to acquire the basest of coarsely-spun silken slippers for his maiden fair. Not like Cor would have given me the money anyway, Anomen thought bitterly, The last he heard, she was happily married to the man and had a child on the way. She should have been *my* wife, it should have been *my* child… Solaufein and Vessa were up now, along with the rest of the group. There would be breakfast to attend to, and then they would be traveling to the Shaman’s lair. Anomen knew he had to clear his mind of these bitter, dark thoughts before he prayed to his God, and did so with much difficulty. As he paid his respects to Helm, Anomen sent a secret, silent wish along with them, only half conscious of it even being formed. Helm saw this wish, as he saw all things, and he smiled upon Anomen that day. *** They were finally at the entrance of the Shaman’s hut. Imoen heard the soft chanting of Jaheira and Anomen, and guessed correctly that they were using their respective powers to protect themselves and their allies for the battle within. She, Jan, Solaufein, and Vessa all wove a few protections of their own, preparing for whatever petty tricks the shaman might have in store. Imoen chanced to hear a whispered exchange between Vessa and her brooding rogue (as Imoen had taken to calling him in her mind)… “Remain vigilant while we are within, my Little Poet. I would be grieved to see anything untoward befall you while we are within,†Solaufein softly whispered. “I shall, and I hope you follow your own advice, Solaufein. I do not want to see you harmed,†Vessa murmured in response. Imoen’s grin grew wider as she saw the two lock eyes. Their faces drew closer to each other…ever closer….. “Aww...the lovebirds being pwotective? gotta watch out now, uncle Sola! We wouldn't want delicate widdwe Vessa getting hurt now, would we?†Imoen shouted in glee. Solaufein and Vessa were both startled out of the trance they had caused in each other. Solaufein looked very uncomfortable with Imoen’s scrutiny, and she saw him give Vessa an apologetic smile before turning away. Vessa gave Imoen a look that could poison a snake. "Oh, I will show you ‘delicate’, all right...." Vessa growled under her breath at Imoen, “just you wait until we are alone…I will stab you in the face with a rusty fork. You hear me?! RUSTY FORK!†The last two words came out in a malicious hiss. Imoen just giggled, “oh, but aren’t you quite sure you would need big, stwong Sowaufein to help you with that? I mean, you are so dainty and petite! You would need a manly sort, with rippling muscles enough to stab me through, wouldn’t you?†“Imoen, you are truly asking for it. If you value your life, you shall desist in your teasing. Now.†Imoen couldn’t suppress her snickers, but remained silent all the same. “Say, Immy, since you seem so intent on my protection, I feel I would be doing you a disservice if I did not allow you to scout the shaman’s tent first. Unaccompanied,†Vessa said with a smirk of her own. Imoen was not about to allow her sister to show her up by making her seem a foolish coward, so she glared at her sister and snuck right on in through the flap. Her eyes did a cursory scan of the room, noting at once the absence of the now infamous shaman. Odd… She kept searching, however, and seeing nothing to indicate his presence, she whispered the words of a handy spell she had memorized last night, the magic quickly flowing throughout the room to detect what would have eluded her eyes before. Blast, still nothing! Imoen thought to herself with annoyance, hells, I’ve been hanging around Vessa too long. First I pick up her habit of saying blast, next thing I know I’ll be speaking like a silly bookworm and shunning contractions! Must avoid use of that word, blast it! Oh, sure, Sola thinks Vessa is all sweet and wonderful *now*, but just wait until she keeps him up all night with the incessant scratching of the quill as she writes, or her habit of humming while she reads! That thought reminded her of something else, and the fat little sack of sneezing powder she had persuaded Jan to fabricate for her appeared in her mind. I know what I can do with this stuff now! Won’t Vessa be surprised when she opens up the stopper of her inkwell and this stuff flies out… After thinking up this devious little plan, her mind wandered to different ways she could thwart Vessa’s romance. Nothing serious, just little pranks to annoy the piss out of those two. After all, adversity makes the heart grow fonder, or something like that. Solaufein was simply too serious, and Imoen felt it was her solemn duty to make him a bit more merry. That way, he could help her tease Vessa! As Imoen was busy plotting, Anomen, of all people, stuck his head in the flap to check up on things, scaring the evil plot right out of her. “I see you are yet alive and well, Lady Imoen. Perhaps you could give us some sort of warning *before* your mind wanders far along the fields? You had us worried for a moment,†Anomen said. Imoen strongly suspected a hint of teasing in his voice. She felt like she was the brunt of a joke, and she did *not* appreciate that. She decided to use the powder on Anomen, instead. “Well, Anomen, I wouldn’t expect ya to understand this, being the big muscleheaded warrior that you are, but I need to quietly survey my surroundings using my stealthy guile before I can return to my party and inform them of the current situation,†Imoen replied huffily. “Is that so? Well, does utilizing such ‘stealthy guile’ require staring off into space with a slack-jawed expression? Hmmm?†Anomen turned his head and shouted to the others, “It’s all clear in here!†“I could do sooo many horrible things to you, Anomen. You’d best watch yourself.†“Oh my, but I shiver with fear at the thought.†A snort of impatience drew Imoen’s gaze to Jaheira, “So, Imoen, you found nothing? Not one sign of where he could possibly be?†“Nope, not a thing. You’re welcome to look for yourself, if you’d like,†Imoen replied, fully confident the druid would discover nothing. Imoen’s smug expression soon melted right off her face as Jaheira pointed to the shaman’s bedroll, which was disturbed, moved aside from its original location, and right next to a trapdoor. Imoen couldn’t believe it. How did she miss that?! “It would seem your mind isn’t focusing as it should, dear Imoen,†Jaheira said with an arch of a brow and an almost-smile threatening to form on her lips. “Watch it, Jaheira. Unlike the others here, I’m not afraid to take you on.†“This may be true, Immy,†Jaheira said with an amusement that worried Imoen, “but remember, druids know much of herblore. I could easily slip something into your food that would cause you to curse your mortal body as your innards turn to fire and explode from within you.†“That’s a very…vivid picture you paint there, Jaheira.†Imoen decided that she wasn’t going to mess with Jaheira right now. “Not getting quite the reception you hoped, eh, Immy?†Jan said with a poke of his elbow and an amused waggle of his brows. Imoen contented herself with shooting him a filthy look. The trapdoor was a heavy thing, but Minsc easily lifted it. However, the shaman they knew from earlier would have had trouble with such a door. Perhaps he was not all that he seemed? Imoen and Jan, of course, were once again the first to go down and scout. However, they quickly discovered there wasn’t much to scout. Down the rickety, termite-infested wooden steps was a single room, and its contents were so shocking that Imoen felt she had just been rammed in the chest by an enraged Balor. She was aware enough of her surroundings to realize that Jan had gone back to alert the others, but she felt as though all her flesh had melted, binding her to the ground on which she stood. It seemed like her blood thickened and slowed with the chill seeping into her, and her mind rebelled against her as it struggled to comprehend what it saw. The vision in front of her forced long-repressed flashbacks of her time in Irenicus’ clutches to the fore, and she could not fight them back. As she dissolved into a terrified, shaking, struggling shadow of herself, she fell, tumbling into the black and desolate void that was the prison of her mind. *** Anomen had rushed down the stairs at Jan’s nearly incoherent shout of “the children!†before anyone else had a chance to react. He nearly rammed Imoen across the room as he reached the foot of the stairs, and it only took one glance at the girl’s face to realize that she was locked in the grip of some powerfully cruel flashback. He had seen such a face only once before, when he was younger and had just begun honing his clerical abilities at a temple. He had been in the infirmary that day, learning how to tend wounds without the divine aid of his God, when an aged paladin by the name of Rylkar entered the room. The paladin was calm enough until he caught sight of the wounded and sickly in the various beds. Anomen remembered well his confusion and even fear as the paladin’s face twisted into grotesque mockeries of itself as he screamed and thrashed about. It took 4 clerics and Anomen to drag Rylkar out of the room and hold him down until he came to his senses. Anomen had not understood then what drove the paladin to such apparent madness at the sight of blood. It was only later that he learned of the terrible consequences of war, of how such experiences and sights can break a person’s mind. He never forgot that lesson, and secretly dreaded that it might happen to him, should he stay on the path he was currently treading. Anomen understood Imoen’s reaction, as he was told about her treatment at Irenicus’ hands, but she had to be moved to safety if she was in no shape to fight. He had his hands on her shoulders and was preparing to move her aside when a hideous slurping noise reminded him of the potential danger within the dimly-lit room. He snapped his head towards the direction of the noise, his eyes adjusting to the malevolent gloom, and saw what looked to be the very same shaman who had manipulated them. His back was to Anomen, and he was using his teeth to rip into the chest of a still twitching figure. The figure turned, and his bloodied lips curled into a ghoulish grin as he tossed the mangled body of a little girl onto the pile of children’s corpses already littering the floor. Anomen pulled Imoen behind him, took a step forward, and nearly slipped on the blood pooling on the flagstones beneath his feet. He felt nauseous, and at the same time, full of searing rage at the atrocities he bore witness to in this…this madman’s sanctum! Was carnage such as this what Imoen and Vessa were forced to bear witness to in Irenicus’ care?! The “shaman†merely stood there as Anomen and his compatriots stopped in order to try and master the horror they felt at what they saw. There was a reddened altar near one of the walls. The room reeked with both the tang of spilled blood, and the acrid scent of nigh-palpable terror. The bodies of slain children lay tossed about the room like so much rubbish, hair matted by the commingling of their own blood. There were tiny, bloody handprints on the walls, and closer inspection of the little children revealed markings only used in corruption magics….the magic used by rakshasa, those foul cat-people from the planes. A sadistic grin carved itself into the shaman’s place as he watched the puzzle fit itself together in Anomen’s mind. “Figured me out, did you?†the shaman began, the amusement in his growling voice freezing Anomen’s heart, “I’m surprised it took you so long, truth be told. Well, there is no point in keeping up this clumsy charade then, is there? This skin was becoming so itchy, anyway.†The shaman’s very flesh seemed to warp and slide about his body, twisting and morphing into something far different than the frail man from before. Orange and black fur replaced flesh, snout replaced jaw, and claws were where fingers once grew. An inhuman snarl from the rakshasa’s feline maw was the only warning Anomen got before the creature flung itself at him. Anomen ran forward, ramming into the creature and knocking it back to the far wall. There was a time, long ago, when Anomen would not have been able to face such a creature, even with the aid of several people at his side. However, he was older, wiser, and far more experienced, and he traveled with those who had fought such creatures before. This was no longer that time. “Somebody take care of Imoen!†Anomen shouted as he rushed the rakshasa once more. The creature was stunned by his sudden attack, and a single bash from Anomen’s mace cracked its skull and sent it flying across the room. However, rakshasa are made of stern stuff, and the creature recovered and landed on its feet, though it was dizzied by the blow. This gave them the advantage, as it was too stunned to cast spells and was hopelessly outnumbered in any case. The former shaman now dodged Anomen’s blows and Jan’s crossbow bolts with grace, choosing a different target for its attentions. Its choice of attacking Imoen was rather poorly thought out, as it was met first by the scimitars of Vessa, then the spear of Jaheira, the sword of Minsc, and finally, a powerful blast of fire from Solaufein’s fingertips. It never stood a chance. The nameless rakshasa stumbled backwards, bleeding, burning, and weak from the crippling blows. It tripped over a crude stone altar, and a single gemstone was the only offering upon its bloody face that night. The rakshasa grinned, grabbed the stone, and shattered it upon the altar, screaming “I won’t end here!†In a blinding flash, he was gone. Anomen turned to check on Imoen. She was weeping into Jaheira’s arms, clutching at her tunic, and the druid worked desperately to calm her. Anomen did not want to think of the terrors that must have been visited upon the girl for her to react so strongly to the sight before her. Vessa moved forward, her eyes eerily black, and surveyed the slaughter. She looked to be on the verge of breaking down herself. “Anomen,†she began quietly, Anomen detecting the tremble in her voice, “please, please tell me these children may be raised. Please. I shall pay for it all myself, if need be, but they *must* be saved!†Anomen examined the tiny bodies, but he already knew the answer to her question. Corruption magic had befouled them beyond all hope of resurrection. Not even the most high priests of Helm could return life to these broken little bodies. “My Lady, I am truly sorrowed by this, but…there is just no way,†Anomen replied softly, his voice full of emotion. He quickly dashed hot tears from his eyes. This was…this was wrong, this was wrong on every level and beyond. His soul raged at the injustice of it all. He made a silent vow to Helm that for every child murdered in this black place, a rakshasa would die for the sin. Solaufein stared somberly at the children, though he tried to keep his features stoic. His jaw was clenched tightly, and Anomen noticed a suspicious shine in the warrior-poet’s eyes. The cleric was mildly surprised at the Drow’s reaction; though he was making an effort, he found he was still struggling with the notion that a Drow could feel true emotion. Anomen inclined his head gravely. “This must be stopped. No more children should suffer for this. What I don’t understand is why, why in the world would he need to do this? What could he possibly gain from the murder of children?†By this time, Jaheira had calmed Imoen down and moved towards the altar. “This foul thing reeks of unnatural magics. Whatever preparations he made with those children were done here.†“Minsc will hunt down every last rakshasa to muddy the land with their vile footsteps of evil!†Minsc screamed as he rushed to the altar. “We will all destroy you! This is for every child dead!†Minsc’s anger had consumed him completely, and burning tears ran down his eyes as he pounded away at the altar, which cracked with each mighty blow. Nobody moved to stop him, for they were all wise enough to realize this was the only way for Minsc to handle his grief. Finally, the altar could stand up to his rage no longer, and split in twain under his fierce assault. Minsc and Jaheira both took an involuntary step back at the peculiar reaction the altar had to being destroyed. A vile, red gas oozed forth from the center, only to be quickly blown away by a powerful, liberated wind. The altar fragments glowed softly with a sapphire light, and it seemed as though the very room grew hushed with reverence. A ghostly little girl coalesced in the air above the altar, a joyous smile dancing across her unscarred, glowing face. “Thank you! You freed us! The bad man’s trap is gone. Now we can go play!†She floated about the group, giving each member a little, ghostly kiss on the cheek in thanks. Then she giggled, touched the altar and said, “Come on guys, its time to go! Can’t you hear her calling?†She tilted her smiling face to the sky, reached for unknown arms, and shot upwards on a ball of azure light. The altar erupted with the same blue lights, one for each corpse in the room, then crumbled into dust. Anomen was rendered speechless by the display. In all of his years training for the Order, he had never witnessed anything like this. In truth, he would have doubted what had just occurred had he not witnessed it with his own eyes. Even the air felt…different, somehow. It seemed as if an oppressive mantle he hadn’t even noticed earlier had been lifted from the room; suddenly Anomen felt freer, lighter. Vessa shook her head slowly, her voice filled with wonder, “I do not know whether we should feel sorrow that the children are dead, or joy that they are now in paradise.†Solaufein spoke, his voice quiet with seething wrath, “they may be in paradise now, but…at what cost? Their torture? Their desecration at the hands of this…of this foul beast?! I know all too well what was done with these children; my people have had dealings with these monsters for far too long. It makes me wonder just how truly the consciences of my people have been destroyed,†Solaufein shook his head sadly. “The death of the innocent is the most bittersweet, in that respect,†replied Jaheira, “I would much prefer that they had died natural deaths of old age. For a life to be cut so short by unnatural means is…is the gravest of sins! An affront to nature! We *must* make this rakshasa pay, as we must make every rakshasa involved pay!†Vessa sighed heavily, “I agree with you Jaheira. We must and shall hunt down those responsible for this so that they may never befoul another innocent. But come, now we must steel ourselves; there will be many grieving families this night.†With hung heads and heavy hearts, these seven friends, brought together by struggle and united by pain, left the shaman’s black abode to spread sorrow through the streets. Link to comment
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