Quite a different start, as the Knight Captain is not placed in Okku's barrow here - this story will follow the OC. Now, questions arise and old acquaintances (or memories of them) show up. Please read and review, opinions and possible predictions are welcome. (Mostly reviews. They keep me going.)

Honestly, I don't really know where – and mostly how – should I begin my story. Maybe the moment the Vale of Merdelain collapsed above us, and my world together with it? Or the gargoyles' claws on my shoulders, and the two women's voices as I floated high in the air, watching helplessly as they cut me up to get the silver shard out of my chest? Or maybe go back to the beginning, when I fought in the Harvest Brawl? Or when I first met him… oh damn, but there's two of them. Two important men in my life… or maybe three, if we count the one who insisted on "teaching" me about biology, with particular attention to reproductive organs.

Really, I'm no bard. Travelling with one so long only taught me how not to sing, how not to tell a story, how not to eat too much whitethistle (not that I even wanted to try it), and how not to misplace words and confuse expressions, unless you want people to think your hormones are raging. Sheesh. It didn't teach me how to tell a story, no sir.

Okay, let's start with me lying on an operating table, my soul floating high above my body, unable to intervene. When I saw the women, one dressed in red and one in white, removing my shard (not that I felt too attached to it in the first place), I thought I would return to my comfy bed in Crossroad Keep in no time, and live happily ever after. Oh how wrong I was.

"Look!" said one of them, sounding rather shocked.
Were my intestines that surprising?
"We can't" said the other.
Can't what? Stitch me up already?
"Poor soul…"
Yeah, being cut up by two strangers sucks! I would have loved to tell them, but couldn't.
Then suddenly the door swung open, and a rather annoyed short girl dressed in green walked, or, rather, ran in.
"What are you two doing?"
Cutting me up, yeah, really.
"Removing the shard" one of the women said.
"Yeah, whatever, I'm here to get the Lord Captain or whatever she's called to safety."
Knight Captain, you fool! And at least Lady, in case you haven't noticed I'm not a man.
The two women looked at each other. Then they left me there, on the table (dammit, stitch me up! I was bleeding!), and threw some spell at Green Girl, knocking her unconscious.
"She will go to the Barrow."
"But the Captain of Crossroad Keep…"
"Poor soul. She can't, we can't."
"I understand."
Well, I didn't for sure. Okay, I can't exactly walk around with my intestines spilling out, but what was this poor soul thing about?

I got to know only a while from there, and I suppose it was the biggest shock of my life. But we'll get to that later.

Then they came back, looked into my intestines again, and sighed deeply.
"Poor soul."
Yes, I have heard that. Might you explain?!
"She doesn't know yet."
What? That you two are trying out the sharpness of your knives on me?
"She will get to know."
Oh yeah, if you two stop talking cryptically already!

Then, thank goodness, they stitched me up, and next thing I know I was lying on some grass, half dazed, hurt and only wanting to go back to my comfy bed in Crossroad Keep. Trying to clear my head, I sat up… and suddenly remembered something.

Elanee. She had told me Green Girl was a wandering druid who joined up with the Circle of the Mere for a while… she told me when we saw her sitting on a tree chatting with the little birdies there. Why was she sent to rescue me from two mad practicing surgeons, I'll never know. It should have been Elanee, she made it out of the Vale after all, right? Right?!

Oh hell. I had to get to Crossroad Keep soon.

Welcome to Immilmar, said the sign beside the gate of the city I was about to enter. I remembered reading it was the capital of Rashemen, so well, I was quite far from Crossroad Keep. Those two crazed psychos couldn't just send me back after throwing poor Green Girl in some barrow, eh? No. They simply had to dispose of me as it came.

I still had some money with me, so, after shaking the initial daze off, I asked around to find an inn, and after some more questions, I knew what I had to do. Board the first ship full of Rashemi wool and other cargo, get to Narfell, and try to get back to the Sword Coast. I bought a map, and headed for the inn they recommended.
"Give me something… uh, no, not ale. Thanks, sparkling spring-water will do" I said to the bartender as I unfolded the map.
Oh hell, it will take about a year! I knew Rashemen was far, but not this far!

I didn't yet think about how will I get back. My money was enough for a stay at the inn and maybe a ride on a ship, but definitely not enough for such a long journey. Oh, my… but I needed to know what became of my friends!

"Are you okay, little lady?" asked the bartender.
Yeah, I suppose I look like a little girl. I'm only 18, in fact, and quite a short, slim half-elf, too.
"Yes…" I said "I'm Lailli Heyrand, by the way."
"Nice to meet you. Reigar. So, how long are you planning to stay?"
"Well, the ship leaves tomorrow, so I guess it's only one night."
"Aww, you're missing out the spectacle tomorrow, then."
"I suppose so. What's it about?"
"Well, there's a gnome bard playing every second night."
"Oh, no, please! Don't remind me…"

I remembered Grobnar, always smiling and happy to lead me on crazy adventures to find the Wendersnaven and whatnot. I saw him in the collapsing Vale, running back amid the falling rocks to get to his beloved Construct…
I buried my face in my hands, as I mourned his loss.

"Miss Heyrand…?" asked Reigar.
"It's okay… just that I…" I wiped away a tear "I used to know a gnome bard as well. And I'm afraid he is dead…"
"I'm sorry for your loss. But I'm pretty sure you never saw or heard anyone like him before."
"And why not?"
"This one… hmm, his name escapes me… but, oh well, he's playing an invisible instrument."