Disclaimer: I don't own Neverwinter Nights, but I'm sure you knew that.

Remembrance

It wasn't surprising that she couldn't remember anything that had happened the night before, from the way she felt she guessed it had been spent in a tavern.

She was surprised to find, however, that she couldn't remember anything else either.

Raising a hand to her forehead, she tried opening her eyes. A tall blur was pacing at her bedside. When it saw her, it rushed to the door and spoke.

"She's awake. Get the healer."

The blur began to clear into a man. A man with crimson hair and… horns?

He sat down beside her and held her hand. "My love, how do you feel? When I find whoever did this…"

Moistening her lips, she tried to speak. "What happened?"

"You were poisoned, I brought you back to the city."

"Oh, thank you… and… who are you?"

The question clearly startled him, but before he could recover enough to answer, the healer bustled into the room.

- - -

"Memory loss?" the redhead's face was a picture of disbelief. "I thought that only happened in threepenny novels! What kind of poison does that?"

"A rare one," the healer replied, simply.

The elven patient reached around to her shoulder blade and placed her hand over the bandaged poison-arrow wound. "So I'm a rarity. That must be the most interesting thing I've done all year."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," the healer smiled warmly, "your adventures are widely known."

"Except to me, apparently." The patient raised an eyebrow. "What about my memory?"

"Well, I can't say when it will return. It may happen gradually, or all at once."

"Or not at all?"

"I don't think that's likely." the healer answered kindly, "Your memories are still in there, you'll find them again."

- - -

As soon as the healer had left the room the elf swung her legs over the side of the bed and began pulling her boots on.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I want to go back to wherever it is that I live. Or… where we live?" she looked at the man questioningly and he nodded. "Take me home, then."

"You were just poisoned," the man reminded her gently, concern in his strange blue eyes.

"But I'm fine, really. Even my headache is going away. Constitution of a rothe beast."

"And just as strong willed as ever." The man smiled a little in spite of himself.

"Am I? Well... good." She folded her arms across her chest. "Please. Take me home."

"It's dark outside. Besides, you should rest."

"I already rested. How long was I unconscious anyway?"

"Sixteen hours." The tiefling answered quietly.

"Oh…" she had been bracing herself to hear 'days' or 'weeks' "…that's not so bad."

"Not so bad?" he repeated the words as if he couldn't believe them. "Those hours were the longest of my life!"

The elf sat back down on the bed, feeling bad for upsetting him. He sighed and sat down next to her.

"Let's compromise. If we stay, just until tomorrow morning, I'll use the time to answer any questions you have, starting with the one you asked earlier. My name is Valen. Valen Shadowbreath."

"And who am I?" She felt ridiculous for having to ask.

"Lyla. Lyla Lucerne."

"And we're…" Lyla paused awkwardly, not knowing how to phrase the question "… in love?"

Valen nodded. "Do you remember anything? Anything at all?"

"Nothing… but judging by what I thought when I woke up, I'm no stranger to hangovers."

"Perhaps, but you're not a drunkard, if you're worried."

"Well, if I don't spent my days drinking, what do I do?"

"You're a ranger. We've been working in the woods you grew up in."

Lyla thought for a moment, taking in all the information she had. She'd covered the basics, but nothing was coming back to her.

"Tell me a story. One about yourself that you've told me before."

"Let me see…" Valen searched his mind for a story that didn't contain too much angst and bloodshed. There weren't many, but he thought they'd both had more than enough of that sort of thing for one day.

"I told you of the time…"

- - -

It wasn't long before Valen fell asleep, sprawled awkwardly over the bed. Lyla supposed that he'd been awake and worrying all the time she'd been asleep, and felt a little ashamed of not realising how tired he must have been.

She folded a blanket over him, then settled into an armchair to wait for morning.

(tbc)

(reviews and constructive criticism greatly appreciated.)