Chapter Two

"So I thought we'd deal with the illithids first." Lilith told Valen as they left the gates of the drow camp. She and her companions hadn't been sure if Valen would show up or not, but he miraculously did at the last second. Lilith wasn't sure if she was happy about this or not. She'd spent the last half hour since they'd started walking chewing on one of her fingers and second guessing all of her plans. The tiefling's apparent unfailing surety and confidence seemed to make the sorcerer question herself more than normal. "Unless... unless you don't think that's a good idea."

A noncommittal grunt was Valen's only reply. He'd wanted to snap at her that her second-guessing herself and insecurities would likely get them killed, but had already learned that saying such things would only hurt the sorcerer's feelings, and give her loud mouthed familiar a reason to make some sarcastic comment. Valen was fairly certain that the sugar coated rabbit of a sorcerer wouldn't survive a day in the Underdark alone. It was one of the reasons he'd finally decided to come along.

"Talkative little lady, isn't she?" Illa yawned. Once again he was curled up around Lilith's shoulders. Valen took some comfort in the knowledge that Lilith assured the dragon would sleep most of the trip.

Lilith made no reply to Illa, and for a few minutes the only sounds that could be heard were the group's steady foot falls and Deekin's frantic scribbling. It wasn't long, however, before the kobold's writing stopped, and he rushed ahead to Valen's side.

"Deekin gots question for Valen!" Deekin called up to the teifling.

Valen ignored Deekin. Maybe if he didn't reply, the kobold would go away and leave him alone.

No such luck.

"Whys you got tail and horn thingies?" Deekin asked Valen, cocking his head to one side. "Deekin needs to know for book."

Valen gave an exasperated sigh. It was a question he had heard many times before, and one he never relished. It weighed on him like an over stuffed pack, and the weight only seemed to get heavier when he noticed the sorcerer glance at him out of the corner of her eye.

"I have horns and a tail because I'm a tiefling." Valen said as casually as possible. Though Valen appeared to be watching the road ahead, he was carefully paying attention to the reactions of those around him. It would not be good if the sorcerer and her companions suddenly decided he was a risk they'd rather not take.

Valen carefully moved a hand to the hilt of his flail.

"What that mean?" Deekin asked.

"It means that Lord Shadowbreath is part demon." Lilith replied before Valen could answer. Well, that certainly explained a lot. Lilith had known what a tiefling was, but she couldn't remember ever meeting one. She had had her suspicions, but if there was one thing her time spent studying magic had taught her it was that you never made assumptions.

"Ooh!" Deekin said, nodding in comprehension. "So he be like the opposite of you, Boss?"

Valen's brows rose and he looked over to Lilith. She had had no visible response to the news that he was part demon, but the kobold's comment had caused her to flinch. So there was more to the girl than met the eye. Valen had thought there was something off about Lilith, but had been unable to put his finger on it just.

"Deekin, hush... please." Lilith whispered almost desperately. Lilith didn't like talking about the fact that she was celestial, and she really didn't like when people found out what she was. Reactions to the news were rarely friendly...

"Something to hide, sorcerer?" Valen asked coolly, eying Lilith with a mix of distrust and disdain.

"No... not really." Lilith muttered, her eyes locked on her feet, one hand tightening its grip on her staff while the other knitted in the skirts of her robes. "It's just... well... I'm kind of an aasimar." Valen had made no response, and just seemed to be watching Lilith. She was already feeling nervous, and the feeling only intensified now. "Well, that is, we're fairly sure that it's diluted. I mean, I... I don't exactly look like a celestial... and I didn't mean to sneak around about it... it's just..." Lilith trailed off, giving a small whimper.

Valen just watched Lilith. He should have figured out sooner that she was an aasimar. She did seem to have a sort of aura about her, and she moved with a grace that was almost unnatural. That wasn't what had him thinking right now, though. Something didn't fit in here.

"It's just what?" Valen said impatiently. "You're an aasimar. You're a good omen and welcome everywhere, save where evil dwells. What have you got to be upset about?" He demanded in a low growl. He had felt a surge of anger when he saw how upset she was about her heritage being pulled out into the open. She was descended from angels. What did she know of hate and prejudice?

Lilith stared at him, blinking, for a moment. "Are you nuts?" She asked in sheer surprise. Was he being serious? Had he actually just asked that? Maybe the weapons-master wasn't as smart as she had thought. "First of all, my heritage isn't out on my sleeve like yours is. Do you have any idea how much it upsets people when they finally find out what I am?" She said. Lilith gave a sigh and shook her head. Lord... she never thought she'd have to explain this to anyone. "They don't like that someone like me can walk around in their midst unknown. Angel's are supposed to be these powerful creatures that can heal the sick and raise the dead. People either get mad right away, or get mad when they find out I can't do any of those things. I've been run out of town more than once, let me tell you." Lilith snorted in annoyance.

Valen listened quietly. It hadn't occurred to him that aasimar's faced any kind of fear or prejudice, but thinking about it now, it only made sense. They too, after all, were outsiders in this world. People feared what they didn't understand, and most people didn't understand planars.

Valen couldn't help but smile just a little.

Lilith watched Valen with interest, not sure what to make of what just occurred.

"So... we don't have a problem, do we?" The aasimar asked quietly, fidgeting a little and looking away from the teifling.

Valen shrugged. "Do you have a problem with the fact that I'm part demon?" He countered.

"No. Why would I?" Lilith asked with a slight smile. "It's not like you're going to kill us in our sleep and drink our blood."

A chill ran down Valen's spine. "If I lose control of my demonic side, that situation is entirely possible." He drawled easily, trying not to let show how much that thought disturbed him.

Lilith just shook her head. "No it isn't."

"Yes. Yes it is." Valen growled, eying the woman in annoyance.

"No. It isn't." Lilith said again. "Oh, the thing that would commit the act would look, smell, and sound like you. But it wouldn't BE you. It'd be something different." Lilith pointed out, as if this was all perfectly obvious.

Valen stared at Lilith, mouth open a little and struggling for a response. Some cutting sarcastic remark, or some bitingly cruel phrase. Nothing came, though, and he found himself watching the celestial as she walked ahead.

"Wow, Boss! This make good chapter in story." Deekin cheered as he caught up with Lilith.

"Ask Valen's permission to put all this in first, Deekin. It might be best not to put this part in your book at all." Lilith pointed out. "Privacy reasons."

"Right, Boss!" Deekin said with a grin.

Valen kept quiet for a good while after their conversation, occasionally listening in to Deekin and Lilith chat.

No one had ever explained things to him like that before, and he couldn't help but wonder if the aasimar had been correct in what she had said. He wasn't sure what he thought about her words, but how she had said them had struck him just as hard. There had been no hate or fear when she spoke, and she truly seemed to believe he would cause her no harm. It was a very unusual experience.

Perhaps she hadn't been lying when she said she trusted him.

´

The first time Valen saw Lilith fight was when they encountered the group of duergar in front of Zor'vak Mur.

The group of slavers had accosted them, assuming they had come to the illithid settlement to trade. Lilith had quickly corrected them on this, and though her demeanor was calm and polite, Valen couldn't help but note the slight disgust in her voice when she spoke to the slavers.

The duergar had laughed at Lilith. Valen took a step closer to the aasimar, one hand on the hilt of his flail.

"Well then," The duergar leader had said. "Looks like we have a chance to pick up some more merchandise." A lecherous smirk spread over his face as his eyes lingered on Lilith's body. "Have to envy the lucky bastard that ends up buying this one."

"I say we sell the others with her and keep the snooty bitch for ourselves." One of the other duergar chimed in. "Look at those hips! We could have a lot of fun taking her down a few pegs."

A chorus of laughter sounded. Much to Valen's surprise, Lilith made no reply to the duergar. In fact, she maintained her quiet dignity and polite countenance. From anyone in the same situation, he'd have expected an indignant outburst. It was almost as if the woman saw no need to reply.

The grinding of Valen's teeth was audible as a few more comments about the aasimar's breasts and the shape of her ass were made. Finally he decided enough was enough, and stepped forward, grabbing Lilith by the arm and moving her behind him. He had been vaguely aware of her looking at him in surprise, though she offered no resistance.

Threats were exchanged, and Valen had to use every bit of self control he had to keep himself from drowning in the wave of fury that was bearing down on him. Finally, the duergar attacked and the battle started.

Nathyrra had been correct in her assessment of Lilith's abilities in battle. Her inhibitions seemed to vanish and she appeared to focus on the battle. The aasimar didn't seem to care for her own safety, and observed her companions conditions more carefully than her own. She had told him she was an evoker, meaning she was an offensive caster in practice.

He hadn't believed her till he saw her fight.

If the duergar teamed up on one of them, or if one of them tried to get a sneak attack in, Lilith quickly struck them down with a spell, or quickly alerted her companions to the eminent danger. She was not a fighter, but she was rather skilled at supporting those who needed it.

"I hate to say it, but I think the world is better off without those duergar." Lilith breathed as she caught her breath when the battle was over.

Deekin dusted himself off, tucking his crossbow away. "Deekin be glad they dead. Deekin not like the way they talk to Boss." The kobold said angrily as he kicked the corpse of one of the duergar.

Illa settled down on Lilith's shoulders. "Did you see Betty go?" The pseudo-dragon said, his tone suggesting he both approved and that he was impressed. "She half tore that lead bastards arm off!"

"Shut it, you winged rat." Valen snarled, still trying to calm himself from the battle. His rage hadn't subsided just yet, and his eye's were flashing red.

"Are you alright, Valen?" Lilith asked, watching the tiefling with a concerned expression.

"Blood lust. Teifling thing. Just give me a moment." Valen said in a low growl, closing his eyes and trying his best to get control of himself quickly. It always took a few minutes to get control of himself again after battle. He hated it, hated the helpless feeling that one day he might lose himself all together again and become nothing more than a beast.

The tiefling heard Lilith shove Illa from her shoulders, followed by the familiar's loud protests and the gentle sound of Lilith's footsteps approaching him. What happened next, Valen hadn't expected.

Lilith gently, cautiously, laid her hands on Valen's shoulders. "Open your eyes, Valen. Look at me." The aasimar said calmly. Her voice was stern, but gentle. Valen was surprised when he found himself obeying her. He opened his eyes, and found her looking right into his eye's for the first time since she had arrived at the Seer's camp. "Focus on my voice. Take a deep breath. Everything is perfectly fine."

Valen nodded, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Her voice was almost like liquid honey. Smooth, sweet, and comforting. This obviously wasn't her first time talking someone through a moment of unbridled fury. Valen had to wonder how much more there was about the aasimar that he didn't know. Her offer to answer any questions he posed was starting to grow more and more appealing.

When it seemed Lilith was convinced he had control of himself, she removed her hands from his shoulders and offered him a dazzling little smile that caused a small tingle to run along his skin quickly.

"And thank you for stepping in like that earlier, when our now dead friends started throwing around those comments. No ones ever done anything like that for me before." She said, dropping a small curtsy.

"It just... seemed like the right thing to do." Valen said after clearing his throat, looking away from her.

Lilith just nodded, though, still smiling as she turned away from him and went to take the helmet the lead duergar had bragged about from his corpse. She brushed the bits of shattered skull and scalp from the helmet, cringing just a tad. Valen had not been gentle with his death.

"So this will protect the mind of the person who wears it from the illithids." Lilith muttered as she looked over the piece of equipment. She was quiet now, observing the helmet and apparently deep in thought.

Deekin was the first to break the silence.

"Deekin's mind be safe from squid things?" Deekin asked Lilith, tugging at the skirt of her robes.

Illa snorted. "I wasn't aware you HAD a mind, dear kobold." He drawled. "Besides... our beloved Lilith isn't intending to let us come with her into the settlement." The dragon said coolly, watching Lilith carefully. "Isn't that right?"

Lilith smiled just a tad, not looking away from the helmet. "Bingo."

"You can't be serious!" Valen said as he looked over to the sorcerer, both startled and surprised. Suddenly he remembered all his suspicions of her and his distrust. "No. There is NO WAY I am letting you walk into an illithid settlement alone."

"Valen, don't be unreasonable." Lilith sighed, shaking her head.

"Unreasonable? The last thing I'm being is unreasonable." He spat at her. "I barely trust you as it is. Do you really think I'm going to let you walk into the camp of one of the Valsharess' most powerful allies alone?" Valen shook his head defiantly. "No. Not going to happen. I forbid you from doing this."

Illa restrained a laugh. "Watch this, kobold. This is going to go over well." Illa whispered to Deekin.

"What Illa mean?" Deekin whispered back.

"Just watch." Illa replied.

Lilith arched a brow at Valen. "You forbid me?" She asked, cocking her head to one side, smiling just a little.

Valen felt a twinge of anger, and began to growl. "Yes. I forbid you."

"And there's nothing I can say to get you to change your mind?"

"Not a thing."

Lilith sighed, shaking her head. "So be it. I'm very sorry about this, Valen." She said, raising a hand and making an odd little movement.

By the time Valen figured out what she was doing, it was too late. His mind went hazy and his body felt very heavy. He was vaguely aware of uttering some swear as his knees buckled and he hit the ground.

A sleep spell. The bitch had hit him with a sleep spell.

Just beautiful.

´

Valen groaned and shifted on the cold ground, pushing himself up and slowly opening his eyes.

Someone, most likely Deekin since Lilith did not appear to be back yet, had folded up some clothes and put them under Valen's head while he was sleeping. A small fire had been started, and the kobold was writing feverously near it while Illa appeared to be sleeping.

Valen cursed loudly and shot up as he remembered what had happened. He began to pace about as anger coursed through him. Years spent in the Blood Wars, and a little girl with a low level spell was his downfall!

"How long has she been gone?" Valen demanded in a snarl, his hand on his weapon. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so angry. To think he was actually beginning to like the damn woman! He should have known no one was that nice. He'd doubted, though, just for a second, and now everything the Seer had worked for was in jeopardy.

Deekin looked up from his writing, but it was Illa who replied.

"Two hours." The dragon yawned, rolling onto his back. "Stop worrying. The kid can handle herself, and she'll be back soon. She won't betray you. It won't even occur to her to betray you. That's not how Lilith operates."

Valen just swore again and kicked savagely at the ground. He didn't like this at all, didn't like the fact that she'd basically made him helpless. There was no way he could go after Lilith. If he had gone in with her, the illithid would have assumed he was her thrall and left him alone. If he went in now, they would attack on site.

There was nothing he could do but sit and wait for the aasimar to return. The thought only made him madder, and he knew his anger would intensify as he waited for Lilith to return.

Valen paced for another two hours, ignoring the reptiles and feeding his anger. By the time the sorcerer got back, his vision was clouded with rage and his eye's were glowing blood red.

"Boss be back!" Deekin had cried, standing up and pointing as Lilith came around the bend. She was just taking off her helmet, her expression neutral and her eye's on the ground.

Valen let out a low growl when he saw her. He snarled and charged forward quickly. She looked up at him as he approached, their eyes connecting briefly before he raised a hand and struck her savagely across the face.

Lilith made a pained noise and the helmet and her staff went flying as she fell to the ground, her hair breaking free from its bun and obscuring her face.

"Boss!" Deekin cried.

"Lilith..." Illa growled.

They both rushed over to the aasimar. Deekin put himself between Lilith and Valen, posed with his cross bow ready. Illa had ducked his head under Lilith's hair and appeared to be gently licking her cheek in an attempt to ease whatever pain Valen had caused.

Valen wasn't sure if he had meant to hit her, or if he had meant to hit her that hard. It was an impulsive action, and he wasn't sure if it had made him feel better. She looked small and frail lying in the dirt, and Valen had the feeling that if he wanted to he could break the small woman in half with his bare hands.

"No, it's okay. Both of you calm down." Lilith said quietly, pushing herself up slowly and silently urging Deekin to put his crossbow down. The kobold reluctantly complied, and Illa settled in next to the sorcerer protectively.

Then Lilith looked up at Valen, and he sincerely wished he had never hit her. The aasimar's lip was bleeding, and a large, dark bruise had already formed on her swollen cheek. Once again, though, Lilith failed to look at Valen with any sort of fear or hatred, and that caused him to step back and sent a shiver down his spine. The wound on her face looked more than a little painful, she should have been angry or upset in some way, but instead she just watched him with her usual calm expression.

Then she did something that caused an unbearable guilt to weigh down on him.

Lilith smiled a little. "Feel better now?" She asked quietly, pushing herself up to her feet and picking up her staff.

If only there had been some sort of sarcasm in her voice, or some hint that she was mocking him. Even in the face of his anger, though, she was still understanding and patient.

Valen struggled for words again; his anger forgotten and his mind a blank. How was he supposed to respond to this? How had he gotten himself into this situation?

"Look... I'm sorry, Valen." Lilith sighed, shaking her head. "I should have explained why I didn't want the rest of you coming with me. It's just... I didn't want to take any risks if things went badly. I mean, if things went wrong and they captured me, there's no loss whatsoever. I know nothing about the camps defenses or the Seer's plans. Hells, I don't even remember the way back to camp from here!" She said, attempting a small smile. "No one would even miss me if I died. If things went wrong and the illithid captured you... well, everything would be lost, and the Seer would really miss you. I just thought..."

Damn... once again the sorcerer appeared to have thought things out quite carefully before acting. Valen needed a moment to come back to his senses before he was able to reply to her. He wanted to say he was sorry, that he shouldn't have been stubborn and cornered her like that, that he shouldn't have slapped her, but of course that wasn't what he was going to say.

"Pretty words that mean nothing." The tiefling snorted, his face hardening. "I'm watching you. This little... escapade of yours only supports my theory that you're going to get us all killed." He shot at her, turning away. He was vaguely aware of Lilith lowering her eyes behind him and muttering an apology. Valen cursed himself silently. Of course he had handled this badly. He had no clue how to handle the aasimar. He had never met someone so strange. He bit his tongue, though, and said one thing that he really wanted to. "And I'm sorry." He added quietly, his voice more gentle this time.

Valen started walking then, not looking behind him to see if the others were following.

´

They had had to make camp on their way back to the drow settlement. Valen offered to take the first watch. It was either his was of trying to make amends for hitting the aasimar, or he didn't trust her to watch over him while he slept. Valen wasn't prepared to admit which was the real reason yet, not even to himself.

Valen did his best not to look at her. If he did look at her, he'd see that bruise he left on her cheek and feel the wave of guilt he was barely managing to suppress.

"I don't have a soul, you know." Illa said quietly.

Valen gave a small jump. The dragon's voice had caught him off guard after the long stretch of complete silence. Lilith hadn't spoken a word the since they started walking, save for a small 'thank you' she uttered after they stopped to make camp when Valen took the flint and tinder from her shaking hands and lit the campfire for her.

"What's your point, vermin?" Valen drawled easily, not looking at Illa.

"I want you to know that if I die there is no coming back for me. I want you to know that I'm serious when I speak these next words." Illa's voice was serious, a rare thing from the pseudo-dragon. He had been curled up not far from Lilith, but now he sat up in a rather dignified manner and locked his reptilian eyes on the tiefling. "Lilith is the single sweetest, nicest, most wonderful woman I know. She insists on thinking the best of everyone, and has never once refused to help someone when there was something she could do to ease their pain. She deserves to be called 'aasimar'. However..." Illa paused, licking his non-existent lips and considering his next words carefully.

"However...?" Valen repeated, arching a brow at Illa. A chill had run down Valen's spine when Illa started talking, but he wanted the pseudo-dragon to continue.

"However, life likes to play a little game called 'Let's Fuck With Lilith'." Illa continued. "I won't get into the exact details. If you want them, though, she'd probably tell you. My point is that since life is so intent on destroying Lilith, I have made it my personal mission to protect her." Illa looked Valen in the eye now, his gaze hard and piercing. "I will protect my mistress with my life." He said quietly, his tone dangerous and fierce. "And if you lay hands on her again, I will clamp down on your throat until one or both of us are dead. Is that clear?"

Valen watched Illa for a long moment. The sincerity of the familiar's words and the tone of his voice was almost haunting. It hadn't occurred to him that Illa was capable of anything but sarcastic dry wit and the occasional poignant observation. Here he was, though, declaring his apparently undying loyalty to a woman he spent most of his time making fun of and bossing around.

Valen nodded. "Perfectly."

"Good." Illa said with a nod of his own to show his approval. Then the pseudo-dragon curled back up, as if nothing had happened, and went back to sleep.

Valen gave a sigh and leaned back against the wall of the cave they were currently using for shelter. The day had been long and... confusing. He wasn't sure of anything any more. He had left the camp with Lilith and her companions quite intent on hating her, and set on not trusting her.

Now he seemed to be lost in his judgments.

Maybe if he understood Lilith in some small way he'd be able to make sense of things. With that in mind he glanced at those around him to make sure they were really asleep and then crept a little closer to Lilith so he could get a better look at her.

He'd never allow himself to observe her so carefully under normal circumstances. However, with everyone asleep and his utter lack of comprehension regarding the aasimar annoying the hell out of him, Valen was willing to make an exception. So he sat near Lilith, and looked her over carefully.

Her skin was pale and almost luminescent in the dark of the cave, though she was mostly covered in shadow since she had set up her bed roll so far from the fire. Her hair was a warm brow and now lay loose and wavy around her willowy form. The aasimar was small... almost delicate looking, like a porcelain figurine. Yes, that was a good way of describing her. A porcelain figurine. The pale skin, dark hair, and almost blank, watching eyes all wrapped in a variety of blue cloth.

Valen gave a frustrated sigh, having gained nothing from his observations. He was just about to give up and go back to his watch spot when he noticed something odd.

Lilith's brow was knotted and her eyes clenched shut. She was fidgeting a little, a small, pained sound emanating from her.

The sorcerer was having a nightmare. A rather bad nightmare, from the looks of it. He couldn't help feeling some measure of sympathy for the woman. Valen knew all about nightmares. There were times when he himself still woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat from some memory of the Blood Wars and his time spent with Grim'asht.

Lilith was having one of those bad memory nightmares now. He'd have recognized the symptoms anywhere. Well, his observation of the sorcerer hadn't been completely in vain. He knew now that something bad had happened to the woman, and she was still haunted by it.

Valen nodded. Good, that bit of information was something at least.

The tiefling was just about to move to go stand vigil once more when the aasimar made a pathetic mewling sound and curled up on her side as small as she could.

Valen hesitated, suddenly unsure of what to do. Lilith was obviously terrified and in pain. For a moment he considered waking her up, but decided against it. What was he to do, though? He couldn't just leave her like that, but at the same time he didn't know if there was anything he could do. That and it really wasn't his place to do anything, he thought. This was a woman he was supposed to hate and not trust, after all. A woman he had hit earlier and who frustrated the hells out of him.

Valen gave a reluctant sigh, glancing about to make sure everyone was still asleep. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but it was the only thing he could think of.

Valen reached out cautiously, and ran a calloused hand through her hair as gently as he could. The tiefling almost stopped breathing. The aasimar had appeared almost cold when he watched her, but she was warmer than he expected and her hair was softer than he had thought it would be.

He ran a hand through her hair again, repeating the action in a soothing manner. As he stroked her hair he began to hum bits of a lullaby he could just barely remember, a lullaby he was fairly sure his mother used to sing to him and a lullaby he was fairly sure used to work on him.

Valen had his doubts if it would work or not when after a few minutes there had been no change in her. Then she began to relax, to Valen's sheer surprise. Her body was no longer tense, and she had stopped whimpering. Her breathing regulated once more and she smiled a little in her sleep.

Valen stared at Lilith, unable to believe that his plan had worked and that he had been the one to ease whatever pain she had been in.

The tiefling withdrew his hand and went back to his spot on the other side of the fire.

Well, at least their little trip had been interesting.