This is a collaborative fanfic between Lupine Paladin and myself. He kindly asked me to upload onto my site since apparently I have a lot of friends :) Please visit my profile page to see the links for the artwork for this story. I am a romance writer, so if you are put off by romantic stories, hate the Sand/Torio pairing, or cannot abide sexual situations, then this story is NOT for you. Please don't hurt our feelings and put a negative spin on our work by sending us messages to this effect. We would love to hear your constructive reviews however. Its music to our little ears!
The largeness of the full moon bathed the parapet in a hazy blue light. Torio Claven had mounted the stairs to reach it after she saw the moon elf wizard Sand wander up them, and she stood in the tiny doorway looking out. There were a few clouds dotting the sky, but for the most part it was a clear, warm night, the fragrance of so many summer blossoms from the fields below wafting up in the breeze.
She spied him standing at the edge of the wall, one hand on the stone, the other hanging loosely by his side. His hair was picked up by a playful breath of air, then settled neatly once more on his shoulders. Such fine ebony hair, always immaculately groomed.
Torio smiled as she remembered a day not long ago in the library, when Sand had come in looking for a particular tome, one which she had happened to be glancing through. He had stood so close to her, and she noticed the section of hair that hung in front of his ear was caught up in his robe. She had closed the tome, gently untangled and freed the hair, handed him the book without a word and left him alone in the library. She remembered how soft and fine it had felt in her fingers, and how his nearness at that moment made her breath catch in her throat. It was all she could do to leave.
Torio walked slowly across the stone and stood beside him, both hands on the wall, and looked down over the peaceful fields slumbering beneath the moon. If she hadn't known what was to come, the sight would have filled her with peace.
"Hello, Sand," she said softly, not looking at him.
The moon elf glanced at Torio from the corner of his eye, a glance that appeared casual but took in every detail of her features as they shone in the moonlight. Raising the hand from his side he placed it next to hers on the waist high stone wall, close but not touching. The wizard imagined that he could feel the heat from her skin emanate on his.
Sand stood in silence for some time, gazing out over the fields; fields that people he had come to know and respect had worked in day after day, fields that would, in the next several days, be covered with the walking dead. He continued to stare out over the wall into the moonlit darkness as if searching for something hidden in its shadows.
With a deep sigh he lowered his eyes and gently shook his head. Slowly turning, his eyes lingered on Torio for several moments before he spoke.
"I had not thought to see you here, I heard that the Captain ordered all non-combat persons to evacuate the Keep yesterday."
Sand essayed a small smile.
"Unless you have been practicing the sword when I wasn't watching."
He wasn't surprised to find that she had not left. She had vowed to serve the Knight-Captain until the very end, and the former Luskan ambassador was nothing if not tenacious about her work.
Torio gave a small laugh and shook her head, turning to him while leaning on the wall.
"I am as hopeless with a weapon as a school child, Sand. True, I was given the choice to leave with the others..."
She left the rest of that sentence unspoken, and after studying his face for a moment turned back to gaze into the dark fields below them. How can I tell you that I didn't go because you will be leaving for the Vale with the Knight Captain. I stayed because it might be the last time I ever see you. Her thoughts, and her heart were heavy.
"I enjoyed all those little projects we did together," she said as lightly as she could, but the characteristic huskiness in her voice weighed it down.
"Your mind astounds me. Even when your spells go awry and we end up standing in a pool of tepid water surrounded by starving razor fanged fish."
She smiled at at the now fond memory, and realized that she was preparing herself for an ending.
Coughing surreptitiously Sand turned from her slightly but continued to watch her in his periphery. "Yes, well that was definitely not one of my more impressive moments."
Snorting bitterly the wizard gave his head a savage shake and bit off his next words sharply. "And if my mind were truly as astounding as you say I'd have a better plan then 'Well this spell should send us somewhere in the King of Shadows fortress...maybe.'"
Heaving a deep sigh at the weight of the situation at hand, he turned back to Torio. Seeing her there in the moonlight, Sand found himself momentarily enthralled. She really is quite beautiful, he thought. Not that he hadn't observed it before; on the contrary he had noticed and remarked on it to himself several times in the past. The years of living and working in such close proximity had changed things between them, for the most part it had changed his opinion of her. It had confounded him often when he found himself thinking of Torio in ways that were most certainly not related to work.
There was just something about seeing her here, now... something different. Pushing the thought from his head he continued with what he had intended to say.
"I apologize if my words seemed harsh, I did not mean to snap at you. I have just....had a lot on my mind I suppose." Pausing for a moment, reviewing what he had just said made a small chuckle escape his lips. "Oh dear, I do believe that was the understatement of the year."
Smiling sheepishly he met Torio's eyes with his own.
She liked his smile. The moonlight muted and washed out most of the color in the environment, but Torio knew the elf's tilted eyes were a bright blue that would sparkle when he was delighted with something. Most often that delight was a successful experiment or a new tome.
She smiled briefly at him in reassurance. Torio hadn't considered his words to be snippy in any way. In fact, having worked and lived so closely with the elf she had gotten used to and comfortable with his unique personality.
"Sand, you are going to the Vale, to the lair of this dreadful King of Shadows. All of you, or some of you might not return. I know you have thought of this, but how do you feel about it? I can tell you, I am terribly frightened, and I'm not even going."
She tried to give him a smile, but memories began swimming up to the surface of her mind. "Fear and I were once closely related, but this is beyond anything I have ever felt before. Maybe because its not just my life at stake but...thousands."
Life on the dreadful streets of Luskan, then all of her years with Garius had taught her the meaning of fear. He had been a demanding and cruel master, expecting much but giving little. He would punish failures harshly and severely, thereafter justifying his actions with soothing words of false comfort, still subtly rebuking her. I hate when you make me do this, my Torio. You know how much it hurts me to have to punish you, my Torio. If you had only just obeyed my orders I would not have to discipline you, my Torio. She had lost track of the times she had wanted to scream at him that she wasn't his Torio. Still, she had tried harder and harder to please him, which oftentimes just made him unhappier with her. Deeper, more painful memories prodded her, just ahead of the darkest horrors that she wished wouldn't rear their ugly heads. Not now, not on this night.
Torio ran a hand through her auburn hair, which had grown out during her years at the Keep and now hung about her shoulders. It was parted on one side, and she still allowed it to fall across and occlude her eyes when she felt insecure or uncomfortable, but here with the wizard she tucked it behind her ear. Torio had grey eyes, with long black lashes, that were often large and luminous when her curiosity was piqued. They were that way now as she looked at Sand.
"In all honesty I try not to think on it," the wizard responded, his lilting voice soft. "There is little that can be done, and what can is already being handled."
He was quiet a moment, then suddenly made a fist and uncharacteristically struck the stone next to him. "I simply hate things moving out of my control! I dislike everything about this current situation. I am not a...a...general! I am a scholar! I should be in a damned library, not leading men to their very probable deaths!"
Placing both hands on the stones Sand slumped forward slightly and hung his head, hair falling forward and hiding his face. It was not fear of battle that stressed him, not even fear of death, at least not to a very great degree. For his entire life he had been responsible for one person and one person only. Himself. Since his involvement with the Knight Captain Sand found himself with more and more lives placed in his soft, well manicured hands, and he did not like it.
Fate and duty had brought him to this point, but perhaps they could not bear all the blame. Tilting his head slightly he watched Torio through the hair that hung over his face. No, he had come to care for and enjoy the company of his companions, some perhaps more then others.
And what of you,Torio? he silently asked her. What makes you stay when you could have run from this graveyard-in-waiting for somewhere safe and not had it held against you? What ties you to this place when everything around you must be telling you to run? It cant be just your work. I know what holds me, but what truly holds you, dear girl?
"But I suppose I did not really answer your question," he continued softly. "How do I feel about entering the Vale?"
Lifting his head he stared unseeing into the horizon, trying to keep his voice steady, his emotions under control.
"I am scared, Torio. I am scared the spell may take us to the wrong location. I am scared that we will not be strong enough to reach the King of Shadows. I am scared that even if we do reach him he will destroy us utterly."
Sand barked a short stress filled laugh.
"I am scared we will not even make it through the upcoming battle. Yes...I am just...scared."
He finished that last with a tremble in his voice, and he swallowed hard to quell any more emotion from springing forth. He lowered his head once more, his hair returning to its place around his face in a gossamer curtain.
Listening to his emotionally charged words, Torio didn't even realize that tears had filled her eyes and coursed down her cheeks until that breeze returned. She touched the moisture on her face with her fingertips and turned to Sand. She reached out and gently gathered some of the elf's hair into her hand and let it strain through her fingers.
"Sand...I...I came out here to tell you that tonight, this night of all nights I don't think you should be alone."