Miscellaneous Body Parts, Chapter 4
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental. Some characters and locations appearing herein are the property of Black Isle/Bioware/WotC/TSR/etc; any material not belonging to them is (c) Geoffrey Brent. This chapter also contains spoilers.
Warning: this chapter contains horrific themes that may unsettle some readers.
"...but what is done is done. A stronger man might have defied Irenicus, and earned an honest death; a weaker might have given in completely and never felt the anguish I now feel. My half-hearted resistance has been my undoing. I allowed myself a fondness for my companions and more than that for one of them; yet have I not the courage to back it with my life. Whether I live or die, I know the pain my betrayal will bring to her, and in truth I fear death will be the end whichever way I choose. Perhaps it would be better to die loyal to my friends than betraying them. But I cannot find the nerve to do it; Irenicus holds my life in his hands, and can snuff it like a candle if I anger him. When he placed this burden upon me, he told me something I have been unable to forget: 'Yoshimo, no matter what I ask of you - no matter how dreadful it may seem to you - remember that it is my doing. It is not your fault; you have no choice in the matter.' And I comfort myself with those words. It is not my fault; it is beyond my control."
- excerpt from Yoshimo's journal
As the ship pulled out of the harbour, night was already falling; by the time the lighthouse had vanished below the horizon behind them, most of the sailors had vanished below decks for dinner or for their hammocks, leaving Nemenil alone to sit on a large barrel and contemplate the night sky. A few sailors remained on deck, trimming the sails and holding the course steady, but most of them were careful to avoid Nem. Sime had made a point of letting them know how unhappy she'd be if any harm came to Nem or her companions, and how unhappy the rest of the Shadow Thieves would also be, and as a result the crew were being painfully polite to them all. She doubted it would last, but it made her feel a little safer.
Although she heard the footsteps, she ignored the person behind her for a slow count of ten before acknowledging her presence.
"I'm still not talking to you, Mar."
"Nem, I said I was sorry. I couldn't help it. You know that."
"You left me to face - oh, I'm not even going to say it. On my own. I thought I could depend on you when things got rough."
"I already told you, I simply couldn't help it. I was needed elsewhere."
"Mar, I was needed elsewhere. Very badly. By me. But I still went. Alone. I didn't make up some half-assed excuse about our luggage going missing and having to look for it at the last moment before we sailed."
"It's true. It really happened. It got mixed up with a cargo of silk, and we had to spend three hours looking before we found it. Besides, you could have asked Minsc to go with you. He wouldn't have minded."
"He was off saying goodbye to Esme. I couldn't find him anywhere. It's a wonder he found his way back to the boat before we sailed."
"Oh, that's right. I forgot about Esme." Mar paused. "Was it really so bad?"
"It was worse. Mar, they wrote the service themselves." Standing behind her, Mar could see Nem's shoulders tense at the memory. "Anomen and Aerie read love poems they'd written to one another."
"Oh my god. I didn't realise. I'm sorry." Mar stepped closer, and began to rub Nem's shoulders soothingly; the elven mail she wore underneath her cloak made it a little difficult, but Mar had strong fingers. "Look, I know I'm going to regret this, but... what sort of poetry does Anomen write?"
"Ah. Since you asked..." Nem closed her eyes, and began - a little maliciously - to recite.
"My love's a lass named Aerie,
She comes from folk of faerie,
With eyes of brightest green,
The fairest you've ever seen,
Her face is wondrous fine,
And yet she says she'll be mine."
"Please stop."
"Oh, bless my friend Keldorn
Through whom this love was born,
He brought me to the circus
What wonders fate did work us!
For there I met this lady
Beneath the tent's cool shade-y
I put down my mace
And wondered at her face."
"I said I was sorry."
"She's brave and patient also
Her words are never false - oh,
I'll make my love a Delryn
I'm glad I did her win
Finer than all other women
Her soul was made in heaven - mmph!"
Nem removed Mar's hand from her mouth, and turned to grin up at her friend. "Between you and me, I think he paid Garrick to write a lot of it. I recognise the style. There was a lot more like that, and I've blotted out the stuff Aerie read. It was even worse."
"Oh." There didn't seem to be much else for Mar to say. "Gods. I guess I really shouldn't have abandoned you to face all that on your own."
"Ah well. Don't fuss about it." Nem wrapped an arm around Mar affectionately and shifted over so they could share the barrel. "I'll make you suffer for it later."
"Promises, promises." Mar pulled out an apple from her cloak. "Shares?"
"Love to." For a while they sat together, the splashing of the waves punctuated only by the crunch of the apple and the flap of the sails. The night was cool and clear; eventually, when the apple was finished, Mar threw the remains over the side and pointed at two dimly-lit figures by the prow of the boat. They appeared to be talking, though so softly and so close that it was impossible to make out what they were saying.
"Have you noticed how much time Yoshi and Nalia are spending together lately?"
"I know. I think it's sweet."
End of Chapter 4
This work (c) Geoffrey Brent.