Chapter 1: Dreams and Decisions

Nevalle jerked upright in bed, heart pounding and breathing labored, the memories of his last few days with Ashara still swirling in his mind. He had had the same dream every night for the past week. It was always the same, with always the same result. He could see her face and hear her voice as clearly as if she was in the room with him. In fact, the dream was so real that sometimes he awoke to find that his body had actually responded, causing him to have to send the bed linens to be laundered. Fortunately, the servants didn't ask any questions for he didn't know how he would answer them. Then again, they were merely servants and he didn't have to explain anything to them if he didn't want to. As that last thought circled his head, he imagined what Ashara would have said if she had heard it. She went out of her way to make everyone feel important, regardless of their station in life. She said that by doing so, you made people feel wanted and they would work harder and complain less. It was a viewpoint that most in his circle didn't hold, and it was one that he had only just begun to understand. However, she wasn't here to chastise him for it, even though he would gladly submit to one of her famous tongue lashings if only he could touch her again.

He shivered as the chill air in the room flowed over his sweaty skin. The fires were always lit during the cold months, but even during the hottest days of summer, stone keeps such as this one were on the chilly side. Rubbing a hand over his face he looked towards the window to see what time it was. Judging from the light grey color of the sky, he surmised that it was about an hour before sunup. Figuring that he probably would not be able to go back to sleep, he decided to get up and go find something to do that might take his mind off Ashara for a while at least. Climbing out of their bed, he walked over to the dresser and poured cold water from the pitcher into the wash basin. After splashing the water on his face a couple of times, he stood and stared at his reflection in the mirror. There was a couple of days of stubble on his face and dark circles under his eyes, not exactly his usual impeccable appearance. Both were a testament to how bad the past week had been for him. Looking around the room, his eyes touched on the familiar items, each one a reminder of her. He probably would sleep better if he chose a room other than the Knight-Captain's quarters, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He was afraid that if he did then she would be lost to him. A silly superstition some would say, but he couldn't help but feel that it kept her alive and well.

Sighing, he grabbed his razor and soap and began to shave, his thoughts drifting back over the happenings of the last week. The first couple of days after the companions had gone through the portal had been tense ones. He had walked the battlements almost continuously, barely taking time to eat or sleep, his gaze fixed off to the south in the direction of the Vale. Even though he couldn't see anything, he still watched, hoping to see some sign that Ashara was victorious in her battles. It wasn't until late afternoon on the third day that he had seen anything. He had just finished making another tour of the battlements when one of the soldiers called out for everyone to look. Hurrying forward and looking where the man was pointing, he saw what appeared to be a darkness spreading out from the Mere towards all the land. Before anyone could be sure of what they were seeing, the darkness had disappeared, like smoke on the wind, leaving behind nothing but a bright, sunshiny sky. He knew in his heart that it meant that Ashara had won, but it would still have to be confirmed. Hurrying down to the main floor of the keep, he ordered Kana to send out scouts to search the land and report back on what they found.

Soon there were messengers flocking to the keep bringing reports from all corners of the realm. The undead that had been swarming all over the place had just collapsed where they were, becoming mere corpses once again. In every city, town and village people were celebrating, and nowhere could be seen any trace of the darkness that had once seemed to enshroud them all. While all the news given to him was good, Nevalle still couldn't find a reason to smile. There was no message of any kind from Sand and the wizard had promised he would send something, if he was able to. That meant either that Sand was dead or that he had no means available to him. Nevalle hoped the latter was the case and eagerly awaited the return of the scouts he had sent to the Vale. His father had always said that no news was good news and he chose to believe in that.

Having finished shaving, he quickly dressed and headed through the keep to the kitchens. He paused briefly outside of Lord Nasher's room, but all was quiet so he continued on. It was too early for anyone else to be up which suited him just fine. The effects of the dream were still with him and he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone yet. Walking into the kitchen, he asked the sleepy cooks to bring him coffee, eggs, bacon and toast and then went into the dining hall. Sitting down to the left of the head chair, he attempted to go over those things that required his attention today, such as meeting with the two messengers that came late last night: one from Waterdeep and another from Port Last. However, Ashara's fate weighed heavily on his mind and kept distracting him. Even though he had told the scouts to ride with all due haste, it would still take them at least a couple of more days to return with news from Meredelain. He would have preferred to have gone there himself, but couldn't really justify such an action. Someone had to keep an eye on things here, and Ashara would want it to be him. He cautioned himself to be patient, reminded himself that it would take them a couple of weeks to travel back to the keep. There was no reason for concern yet, despite the lack of a message.

Just as he had finished eating, he heard footsteps approaching and looked up to see Nasher's manservent heading towards the kitchen. "I am assuming that Lord Nasher is awake, Gervais?" he asked, stopping the man in his tracks.

"Yes sir," Gervais nodded to the knight. "He has ordered me to bring him a big breakfast, a good sign that he is almost fully recovered. He mentioned that he would meet with you later and discuss his departure. I believe he intends to return to Neverwinter today. With all reports indicating that the threat is over, he wishes to start getting the people returned to their homes." After hesitating a moment he dared to ask the question that was foremost in his mind. "Has there been any word on the Knight-Captain or her companions, sir?"

Nevalle couldn't keep the worry from his face or voice as he answered. "Not yet, though there hasn't been enough time for the scouts to reach the Vale and return."

"I have prayed to Tymora every day since they left for their safe return," Gervais said quietly. "I will continue to do so until they come home."

Nevalle nodded his thanks and let the man go order Nasher's breakfast. He decided to go and see if Kana was up yet and headed back to the main hall of the keep. He swore that the woman somehow lived there because he seldom saw her anywhere else. Sure enough, as soon as he entered, Lt. Kana walked forward to greet him.

"Good morning, Sir Nevalle," Kana nodded. "I see you are up early again?" The question carried a note of sympathy and the look on her face said she knew the reason, but would not speak it aloud unless he wanted to talk about it.

"Have any more messengers come to the keep overnight lieutenant?" Nevalle asked, his voice a little colder than he intended. He saw Kana reflexively step back a couple of paces and straigten to attention.

"No sir," she answered, her voice holding a tinge of hurt. "I believe that the two who did arrive late are still sleeping."

Nevalle briefly thought about apologizing for his tone but then dismissed the idea. One never apologized to subordinates, it wasn't proper and could lead to problems down the road. "If any do arrive today, I wish to be informed of it without delay," he orderd and then turned and headed towards the main door of the keep.

Kana sighed as she watched him walk away. She worried what Sir Nevalle would do if too much more time passed without word of the Knight-Captain's fate. Each day that passed, the man's face seemed to become a little more gaunt, and his eyes grew more and more haunted. She wondered what it was like to love someone that deeply and then shuddered a little. She wasn't sure she would want to experience what he was going through. Shaking her head, she turned to the large table behind her and began to sort through the mundane paperwork for the keep that seemed to be never-ending.

Nevalle stopped when he reached the topmost battlement and stared south, watching and waiting for any sign. The men knew to leave him be when he was there and it gave him time to think. He knew he would have to maintain a better grip on his emotions or risk doing or saying something he would one day regret. Besides, everyone had had so little to celebrate of late that it wasn't fair of him to visit his dark mood on them. Ashara would come back to him, had to come back to him. Until she had entered his life, he had had no idea of what he truly wanted in a woman. All the women of the court, from young to old, had tried to lure him into their net. It had become tedious to be around women who always seemed to be sizing up your purse when they looked at you. Gods forbid that you should be thinking about the numerous duties or tasks you had to do when you were with them. If they figured out that they didn't have your full attention, they either sulked or lectured you about paying more attention to their needs, wants, and dreams.

Ashara had been so different that at first he hadn't been sure how to deal with her. She was so far removed from any of the women he had known that he had no basis for comparison. She spoke her mind freely and he had found her honesty, while sometimes brutully blunt, to be refreshing. If she was angry at you she told you why and never resorted to sulking or tears. Make her angry enough and you might just find her fist in your face, especially if she had a few ales under her belt, as he had witnessed on a couple of occasions. His lips quirked in a smile at that thought. She preferred ale to wine, trousers to skirts, and a sword to a needle. She was not the kind of woman his mother or father would have deemed suitable for a noble, and not just for those reasons. She was poor, a commoner, and as such not the right type of girl. However, if they knew how happy she made him, then they would probably overlook those things. His father had long since given up trying to tell him how to live his life, and his mother now only reminded him once in a while that she would like to hold a grandchild in her arms before she got too old to appreciate it.

No, the biggest opposition to his relationship with Ashara would not come from his family, but from the other nobles, and perhaps even Lord Nasher himself. Although, given recent events it might not be as bad as it normally would. Still, it would not be easy to make his dreams a reality now that the war was over. All her accomplishments, all the accolades bestowed on her, didn't change the fact that she was not of noble blood. Even though he himself didn't care about such things, most others did. Even amongst the Nine, it had only been Darmon and Callum who didn't see anything wrong in his relationship with the Knight-Captain. Callum went so far as to say that she was a jewel amongst women, and that Nevalle would be a fool to let her get away. Of course that was after she had drunk the dwarf under the table during the party celebrating her induction into the Nine. Callum would understand what he was going through if he was here, but he had died during the war, and his loss was still painful to think about. Ashara had been almost as upset as he had been when they failed to get to Callum in time, for she had like and admired the tough, cynical dwarf. They had both drunk themselves under the table that ill fated night.

Suddenly a thought struck him and it wiped the smile from his face. Ashara and he had never discussed anything like marriage because their future was so uncertain. She had declared her love for him, but what if she didn't want to marry him? She had more than once said that she didn't care for the nobility because they were so pompous and arrogant. Yet, to be with him would require that she learn to deal with the court and maybe she wouldn't want to. He supposed that was just one of the things they would have to discuss when she returned. He would make it work, somehow, he promised himself.

Hearing footsteps approach from behind him, he turned to see Nasher's page coming towards him and rightly surmised that his lord wished to see him. Dismissing the boy after the message had been delivered, he headed back down to the main doors. As he walked into the keep, he began to go over the possible directions the conversation with Lord Nasher could go. He prepared himself to argue against accompanying Lord Nasher back to Neverwinter, if that should come up. He needed to be here at the keep and hopefully he would not have to give away the true reason for it. He reached Lord Nasher's room and knocked on the door, then entered when asked.

"My Lord Nasher," Nevalle bowed and then waited silently, trying to keep his face neutral despite the nervousness running through him.

"Ah Nevalle, you always arrive so promptly when I summon you," Lord Nasher smiled slightly. "If only more of those around me were to do the same then maybe things would get done quicker, hmmm?"

"If you are refering to the merchants or ambassadors that come to court, then possibly," Nevalle said humorously. "However, it's been my experience that those people often think much of themselves and hold to their own secret timetables. I don't believe that will ever change, my lord."

"Hmph, you're probably right," Lord Nasher grumbled. "I called you here to inform you that I intend to return to Neverwinter today. All the reports seem to indicate that the land is now safe and the people will be eager to return to their homes. All available hands will be needed to insure an orderly reoccupation of the city." He saw Nevalle about to voice a protest and waived him to silence. "I am not including you amongst their number Nevalle," he told his knight and saw him relax. Despite what many might think, he was no fool and he knew that Nevalle had a very personal reason for wanting to stay at the keep. Even though he was sure Nevalle would bow to the dictates of duty and accompany him if ordered, Nasher had no wish to make life harder on the man. Nevalle had given him years of faithful service and was owed some leeway.

"If my presence is required Lord Nasher, I shall of course accompany you," Nevalle bowed slightly. "However, as capable an officer as Lt. Kana is, I don't believe she is competent enough yet to handle matters here at the keep on her own." His voice sounded sincere to his ears and his reasoning was sound, so hopefully Lord Nasher would not pry deeper.

"I agree with you Nevalle," Lord Nasher had to bite back a smile at the look of relief that briefly crossed Nevalle's face. "Crossroad Keep is now the only major military structure still standing, and as such is going to play a key role in Neverwinter's future. Knight-Captain Thenner did a magnificent job with it and I don't want to see it go to waste. You are the only one of my knights that I fully trust who also has the ability and experience to manage the place, therefore you will remain here until Captain Thenner returns."

"So you intend to make Ashara Thenner the outright owner of Crossroad Keep my lord?" Nevalle queried. Seeing the puzzled look on his lord's face he clarified his question. "I know that giving Ashara the keep was done out of necessity more than anything else."

"Yes, it was necessary and that is what I told the council. I would like to make her position permanent, if she is willing. However, you know as well as I do that the decision doesn't rest solely on my shoulders," Lord Nasher warned. "Like I said, this keep is now an important place and there are many that will have their own ideas about what to do with it. There are many bigots amongst the nobles who will not take to the idea of a commoner being placed in such a position of authority, regardless of how deserving of the honor she is."

"My lord, the ones you speak of are power hungry and greedy," Nevalle said, a hint of anger coloring his voice. "They would care more about the money they could make from the place than the people who live here." He realized that his tone of voice bordered on the disrespectful and flushed slightly.

"Relax Nevalle, you are preaching to the choir," Lord Nasher told him. "I know this and that is why I will have to come up with very convincing arguments on behalf of Captain Thenner. However, that bridge can't be crossed until she returns. The only orders I have for you is to make sure that I am informed of her return as soon as possible. You know, as well as I do, that the best way to get around the nobles on the council is to hit them when they are distracted by other matters. The less time they have to debate, the more likely they are to agree. As things are likely to be chaotic in the city in the coming weeks, this will be the best time to broach the subject."

"Of course my lord," Nevalle bowed. "Is there anything else you require of me my lord?"

"No Nevalle, you may go," Nasher dismissed the knight and waited until the door closed behind the man before turning to his servant. "Well Gervais, I see that you were right as usual. Even though he tries to hide it, I can see how deeply in love Nevalle is, and how worried he is about Ashara Thenner."

"Does that bother you my lord?" Gervais asked. "I mean he is a noble and Captain Thenner is a commoner."

Lord Nasher sighed as he realized what Gervais was getting at. "What you really mean to ask is whether or not I would sanction a union between them, isn't that right?"

"Knowing the nobles of the court, I know that there will be much opposition to their relationship," Gervais answered frankly. "It has gone unremarked to this point because of the threat hanging over all our heads. Now with the threat removed, they will have time to turn their attention to other matters. They will become aware of the relationship and will no doubt raise a hue and cry about it. However, as most of them will want to stay in your good graces, your support would go a long way towards silencing the dissenters amongst them."

"Perhaps Gervais, but all of this is academic right now," Lord Nasher responded. "It is troubling that there has been no sign or news of the Knight-Captain or any of her companions yet. Even though the King of Shadows has been defeated, it does not necessarily mean that Ashara Thenner survived the battle. Until we know for certain of her fate, it is best to let the matter be."

"I hope for your sake and Nevalle's that she did survive," Gervais said softly. "I have seen a love like theirs rarely, but I know that the loss of such love can drive people to the edge of reason and make them behave irrationally. If she is dead, then you will most likely lose Nevalle as well my lord."

Lord Nasher stared hard at Gervais and knew not to take the old man's words lightly. Gervais had been the manservant to the former lord of Neverwinter and he had seen time and time again over the years how Gervais was able to read people and situations more clearly than most. The man was uncanny at it and Nasher never failed to heed the words of the man. They had proven almost prophetic in times past and that thought caused a frown to cross his face. He had already lost two other valuable members of the Nine: Melia to that warlock months ago and Callum to the Shadow Reavers more recently. As the Captain of the Nine, Nevalle was invaluable, but as his right hand man, he was irreplaceable. He decided that it couldn't hurt to add his own prayers for Captain Thenner's safe return and he would see to it that Reverand Olef added his own prayers as well. The gods may not always listen to individuals, but if enough people prayed for the same thing they might listen then.

"Well the day is not getting any younger so we best get moving Geravais," Nasher said aloud. Picking up his crown, he placed it on his head as Gervais pinned the royal cloak on his shoulders. Then, opening the door, he walked down the hall, through the main chamber and then out of the keep. Heading down to the courtyard he saw Nevalle standing there with the men who would be accompanying him back to Neverwinter.

"I wish you a safe journey Lord Nasher," Nevalle said formally.

"Thank you Nevalle," Lord Nasher smiled at him as he mounted his horse. "I am sure it will be, for the greatest dangers have been removed and I think I am more than a match for any stray bandit we might come across."

"Without a doubt my lord," Nevalle smiled and stepped back from the party. He watched until he could no longer see even the dust from the horses hooves before turning and heading to the inn. It was nearing lunch time and he wanted to get something to eat as well as catch up with Sal on how the non-military residents of the keep were faring. Hopefully, word of Ashara would arrive soon, for he felt that the waiting and not knowing was going to drive him insane.


As the sun was setting on the third day following Lord Nasher's departure, sentries on the wall spied a lone rider approaching the keep. As soon as the rider was close enough to the guards on the main gate, the condition of the horse was made apparent and it spurred them to send a runner post hast to fetch Sir Nevalle. They quickly opened the gates for the weary horse and its rider, knowing that whatever news was being brought was quite urgent.

The tired scout barely managed a nod at the guards as he trotted his mount to the well in the middle of the courtyard. Dismounting, he found he had to hold on to the saddle for a few moments so he could get his legs under him. Looking at his horse standing with its head down, sides heaving, and limbs trembling, he gave thanks to the gods that the Knight-Captain had insisted that only the very best mounts were purchased for the keep. A lesser animal would most likely have dropped dead by now from the pace that he had set. However, the news he had brought was quite urgent and it had been necessary. Just as he managed to regain control of his limbs, he heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Sir Nevalle coming towards him, followed closely by Lt. Kana. Straightening up, he saluted them and waited to give his report.

Nevalle saw that the scout was one of the men he had sent south and then noticed the condition of the man and his horse. Whatever the message was, it had to be extremely urgent for the scout to have ridden the horse half to death. Suddenly, his heart clenched with fear that the news was bad, and he hesitated for a few moments. At a whispered question from Kana he shook his head and got down to business.

"Take the horse to the stable and see that it is looked after well and properly," he sharply ordered two of the stable boys. Turning to the soldiers in the courtyard he motioned to the scout. "Escort him to the Phoenix Tail Inn," he ordered them and then turned and headed in that direction himself, Lt. Kana falling into step beside him.

"Excuse me sir, but why are you bringing him there?" Lt. Kana quietly asked. Protocol required that the man be debriefed as soon as possible and that was always handled inside the throne room of the keep.

"I have my reasons," Nevalle answered shortly and saw her back off slightly. Ashara may have allowed more leeway with her subordinates, but he was not so lax. A superior officer was under no obligation to explain himself. He issued orders and expected them to be followed. Kana had better get used to that or she would have problems serving under someone else's command. After all, there was the possibility that Ashara may not return to manage the keep. That would mean another commander would have to be found, and whoever it was would not be lenient with what basically amounted to insubordination. Why are you thinking like that? he suddenly asked himself. You haven't gotten the scout's report yet so stop counting your chickens, he admonished himself.

Entering the inn, Nevalle selected a table near the fireplace and asked Sal to bring two ales to him. As he took his seat, he saw the scout enter and motioned the man to the chair opposite him at the table. When Sal brought the ales to the table, he told the scout to drink and gather his thoughts. As he sipped at his own ale, Nevalle examined his reasons for doing things this way, and acknowledged that he was trying to brace himself for potentially bad news. Finally, after the ale was half gone, he asked the scout for his report.

"Sir Nevalle, as you are aware, I am one of three scouts dispatched to the south to determine the fate of those who entered the Vale of Merdelain," the man began. "We rode with all due haste, but also kept a sharp eye out for the Knight-Captain and her companions along the way. We kept expecting to see some sign of them, but all was quiet in the area. We finally managed to make our way through the mere to the spot where we had been told the ruins should be."

"What do you mean by should be?" Nevalle interrupted, his tone sharp with worry.

"My lord, we could find no trace that the ruins had ever been there," the scout said quietly. "We searched the area thoroughly, but all we could find was a caved in spot in the place we had been told to look. Not knowing what to make of it, we decided to examine the spot more closely. After a couple of hours, we finally came to a consensus that we did indeed have the right area, but it appeared as if the earth above it had collapsed in on itself. My lord, we believe that whatever happened during that final battle was enough to cause the land to cave in and bury all that was beneath it."

Nevalle felt the blood leave his face as he listened to the words and comprehended what the man was saying. After a long moment of silence, and swallowing hard a couple of times, he managed to voice another question. "Did you discover anything else that might indicate what happened to the Knight-Captain?"

The scout had been expecting this question and knew that Sir Nevalle was not going to like the answer. "I am sorry to say my lord that we found no evidence that anyone had managed to escape. There were no holes or gaps of any kind that even a mouse could fit through, let alone a full grown person. Sadly, it appears that the area has become a mass grave for the Knight-Captain and her companions."

The scout's words hit Nevalle like a slap in the face and he felt anger flare up inside him. "Are you a sooth-sayer that you can speak such with confidence?" he asked with a snarl and saw the man pale and flinch back. "What evidence do you have to indicate this?"

"My..my..my..l.l.lord," the scout stammered. "No one could survive such an event, no matter how much we might want to believe otherwise."

"Until I see her body with my own eyes, then I will not accept her death," Nevalle said harshly. "I will not write Ashara off without a backward glance, even if you have."

Lt. Kana saw the scout pale even more, if that was possible, and leaned forward towards Nevalle. "Sir, the scout has ridden long and hard to bring us this news because he understood how important it was to you," she cautioned in a whisper. "Do not repay his loyalty with harsh words. He is not deserving of such treatment."

Nevalle glared at Kana, wanting to tell her off, but knowing that she was right. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths in an attempt to regain his composure. Finally, he looked over at the scout and saw that the man was practically cringing. "You have ridden hard and are no doubt as exhausted as your horse," he told the man, his tone less harsh, but still retaining a hint of anger. "Go get some rest," he dismissed the man and watched as he walked wearily out of the inn.

"Sir, I know how much the Knight-Captain means to you, she means a great deal to me too," Lt. Kana said in a low voice. "However, you must be realistic about things. I am sure that the scouts made every effort to determine if they escaped. They did not and are most likely dead," her voice broke a little as she finished.

"Lieutenant, I did not ask for your opinion," Nevalle said angrily, his use of her title causing her to snap back in her seat. "You have duties to attend to so you had better get to them and keep your opinions to yourself."

Kana stood up and saluted him, "Yes sir." She stiffly walked out of the inn, deciding to go check on the scout and see if she could get any more information out of him. Sir Nevalle seemed to think he was the only one who cared about the Knight-Captain, but she was loved and admired by many. The news the scout brought would quickly spread throughout the keep, and many there would mourn the loss of the Captain and her companions. While she didn't fully understand how the portal the old sage had set up worked, she did know that it relied on power that was linked to the King of Shadows. The portal had gone dead at the same time that the darkness disappeared from the land. Aldanon had tried to reestablish it but had been unsuccessful, confirming that the King of Shadows demise had indeed disrupted it. Without the portal, and with the ruins buried, there was no way anyone could have made it out. Sir Nevalle was holding on to false hope and the sooner he realized it, the sooner he could move on with his life.

Nevalle sat for a long time staring down into his mug of ale, his heart refusing to accept what his brain was telling him was true. The scout believed Ashara was dead and so did Kana. He knew that as soon as the news spread that others would believe the same thing. However, he would not believe it, refused to believe it. She was smart and strong and she would have found a way to escape. Getting up from the table, he headed out of the inn and to the stables. He would go for a ride through the countryside to clear his head. Randomly picking a mount, he threw a bridle and saddle on it and then rode it out of the stables and through the courtyard to the main gate. The guards saw him coming and opened the gates quickly so that he didn't have to pause at all before riding through. He turned the horse's head towards the fields and urged it into a canter.

As he rode, he pondered how to go about proving she was still alive. With the portals collapsed and the ruins buried, there weren't too many options available to him. Yet, there had to be a way to do it, if only he could think clearly. After a couple of hours, he turned the horse back towards the keep. It was as he neared Crossroad Keep that it came to him what he had to do. He would have to escavate the ruins and see if there were any bodies there. If he did that and found nothing, then it would prove that Ashara was still alive and then the search could begin. However, would anyone else believe as he did? Maybe, maybe not, but he had to try to convince them.

Entering the courtyard, he dismounted and handed the reins to a stable boy before hurrying up the path and through the keep doors. Once inside he made a beeline for the throne room where he knew Kana would be. As he entered, he saw the lieutenant stiffen to attention, the look on her face as neutral as she could make it. He felt a slight twinge of guilt run through him because of how he had treated her, but he would not apologize.

"Lt. Kana, I am going to be riding to Neverwinter and I intend to head out as soon as possible," he told her as he approached. "See to having enough supplies prepared for the journey," he ordered and turned towards the living quarters.

"Sir, might I ask why you are leaving now?" Lt. Kana said as respectfully as she could, hoping that he wouldn't bite her head off.

Stopping to look back, he met her eyes as he spoke. "I intend to ask Lord Nasher for the men and equipment needed to do an excavation of the ruins."

"Respectfully sir, what you are planning to undertake will be not only time consuming but expensive as well," Kana said quietly. "It has been hard enough getting money out of the council to fund the City Watch. It will be next to impossible to convince them to go along with your plan."

"Whether the council will provide funds or not doesn't concern me," Nevalle said shortly. "Although seeing as how Ashara saved us all from certain doom then it is the least they could do. However, all I really need is Lord Nasher's permission for the undertaking and the council can go to the abyss if they don't like it. I have more money than I know what to do with and will pay for everything myself if need be. I will not accept that she is dead until I see her body and this is the only option open to me."

Kana nodded her thanks and understanding. "I will go get those provisions ready for you sir," she said and hurried off to the kitchens.

Nevalle continued through the keep and entered the Knight-Captain's quarters. He quickly packed his travel bag and then paused to look around the room. "I am coming Ashara. I promised you I would come find you and that is what I will do. You are not dead, you can't be dead," he whispered, his eyes closed as if in prayer. As he stood there he felt a light touch across his face, like a faint brush of wind. As he was inside the keep where the wind could not possibly reach, he took it as a sign from the gods that he was doing the right thing. She was alive, and he would find her.

Heading back to the throne room he saw Kana coming back from the kitchens with a satchel of food which she handed to him without a word. "I will ride as fast as possible, but it will still take a few days to reach Neverwinter," he told her.

"Just don't ride so hard that you endanger yourself or your horse sir," Kana said quietly.

"As there is no way to tell how long the escavation will take, I cannot say for certain how long I will be gone," Nevalle continued, ignoring her last statement. "I will see about sending Sir Darmon here to oversee the keep in my absence."

Kana stiffened at that last statement and looked angrily at him. "Sir, I am quite capable of overseeing things myself during your absence," she protested.

"Whether you are or not is not the issue," Nevalle said frostily. "You are merely a lieutenant and Crossroad Keep is too important of a holding. There would be outrage on the part of the council if I left only you in charge." He saw that she still looked like she wanted to contest his decision. "Might I remind you lieutenant that the way Ashara dealt with you is not the normal way things are done? Your attitude borders on insubordination and you should be thankful that I am more open minded than some. Superior officers expect their orders to be followed without question, do you understand me?"

"Yes sir," Kana said stiffly, her face flushing in embarassment at having to be reminded of this. Even if the Knight-Captain had survived the final battle, she still might not have wanted to resume her role at the keep. That meant that someone else would take over, and unfortunately Nevalle was right in that they would most likely not be as lax or easy going with those under their command.

Seeing that his point had been made, Nevalle wasted no more time and hurried out of the keep to the stables. He saw that word had gone ahead of him and the stable master already had a horse waiting for him. The mount he had chosen was none other than Champion, Ashara's own destrier. Walking up to the horse he looked it in the eye and spoke softly to it so no one else would hear. "I need you to give me everything you have fella for Ashara needs me." The horse snorted and nodded his head almost as if he really did understand the words. Smiling slightly, he mounted the horse and rode away, barely acknowledging the well wishes of the men as he went.

Once on the main road he pushed Champion into a hard gallop. By alternating between a hard gallop and a steady walk, he could cover ground at a quick pace without tiring the horse. He would of course have to make brief stops to rest the horse and get some sleep, but he still would make good time. He only hoped that it would not take too much time to convince Lord Nasher to agree to his plan. Ashara needed him and he would not fail her.