A Neverwinter Nights 2 Fanfic.
ChapterFour
MyVowsToYou
ByAzooozi
A/N: Well hopefully this chapter will be the start of a nice little love triangle. Had to add a little Grobnar into it though. ;) R&R!
Why in the Nine Hells did we bring this idiot along? ... and why in the hells is he still singing to us? "Dun! Adventuring adventurers! Dun! I'm adventuring wi-"
"Grobnar. Stop singing."
Damn that gnome, he just doesn't stop. Once we get there, we're dumping him there. They'd make sure of that.
Running of ahead, the gnome shouted back, "This way everyone! We're almost there!"
"Thank the gods... " grumbled Khelgar, arms folded and head down.
"Stop your whining. You're not making this any better than it already is," hissed back the sorceress.
"You know. You should at least be thankful for his help... " mumbled the druidess, an irritated look painted on her visage.
Instantly, the teifling interupted, "You've got to be kidding me? Has he not annoyed you at all?"
"Not particullarly. No"
"You know. You really are weird," the red-head responded, her emerald eyes studying the elf curiously.
"And you really are childish."
Rolling her eyes, Qara replied, "Whatever."
- x -
"Oh dear! Are you okay Miss Aura?" asked the gnome in a distressed voice.
Looking up, the aasimar found herself on the ground, completely surrounded by her companions... And. The freaking gnome as well! How was he not dead? That troll was rediculously strong, it had even knocked her and a few of the others down. Hells, it had knocked her out. But of all the people left standing, how was Grobnar one of them!
"I'm fine," she spat back, pushing herself up and started to walk off ahead–she had to show them who was boss.
The gnome softly murmured to himself, "... Oh my. Did I do something wrong again?"
Overhearing the gnome, Khelgar replied, "Bah! Don't worry about it. She's always like that this time around, just give 'er a few days. She'll go back to normal. Damn women, and their... things,"
"Oh why don't you just shut your face, just 'cause you can't get one doesn't mean you have to insult them, you know," hissed a violent red-head, glaring at him.
"Oh ye're just mad that you can't find a man like me!"
"Hah! You're kidding me?"
After a few minutes of arguing, the bard moved away from the group and made for their leader.
Bringing her hands to her chest in a praying position, the cleric murmured a few words under her breath. Gradually, a small light began to illuminate from her hands, and then she brought it to her lower abdomen. Slowly, the spell wore out, and the light faded. Her stomach hurt so badly, much worse than it would for a normal woman. Sometimes she'd lie in bed all day because of the pain. The only solution was casting cure spells on herself as it somewhat numbed the pain. Satisfied with her work, the aasimar continued walking. Then there was a tap on her arm. Looking to her side she saw the person she'd least have expected to see.
"Um. Excuse me Miss Aura?"
Ugh, it's the gnome. What does he want?
"Before, you didn't seem so well... "
"..."
"So you walked off..."
"..."
"But then Mister Khelgar told me..."
"... what did he tell you?"
"Oh. He said that it was your time of the month," finished the gnome, a cheerful smile painted on his face.
"... wait. He said what?"
"He said that it was your time of the month and that's why your all moody and whatnot."
"Moody!"
"Yes! But then Neeshka said you were only like that because of the stomach cramps you were getting."
"... yeah."
"And that's why I wanted to give you something."
The gnome then dig his hand into a little satchel he had hanging from his waist. He then pulled out a strange looking herb. He then held it out to her, clear for her to see. "Here take this. It's just a little something a strange pair of elves gave me. They said it was a pretty good for stomach pains. I'm still not sure why they gave it to me. Hmmm... Oh yes! I remember now. Well this is actually quite and interesting story. One day, I wa-"
Instantly the woman took the herbs from his hands, and hastily interrupted his story,"Thank you Grobnar. This is... very nice of you."
"Oh your welcome! I'm so happy that you like it! I'm sure Mister Khelgar will be too!"
"Yes. I completely agree with you... But Grobnar..."
"Yes?" He replied in a worried tone.
"There's something I have to tell you about Khelgar."
"Oh dear. This isn't going to be good news is it?"
"'Fraid not. You see, Khelgar is a dwarf, right?"
"Yes..."
"And you've met a female dwarf right?"
"Um... yes."
"And you noticed their beards right?"
"Yes. Yes I did..."
"So how do we tell the difference."
"I'm not sure..."
"Well Khelgar... I found out, that he is not male... nor female..."
"What is he then!" the gnome panicked, hands pressed hard against his cheeks with his jaw hanging.
"He is... both."
Then came the scream. "Khelgar is both!"
The gnome was in a frenzy. He relentlessly ran in circles, clearly panicking. Obviously he didn't support that kind of thing. Looking back, Aura saw Khelgar, trudging over to the gnome. A fierce in his eyes. "Khelgar is both what?" questioned the dwarf.
Instantly the gnome tilted his head up and stared at the dwarf, an anxious look on his face. "A-Are you really male and female at the same time?"
"What in the hells! No! I'm not!"
"But Miss Aura said that you were! And she seemed so serious!"
"She was dead serious," added the teifling, her lips, curving up and forming a grin.
The gnome screamed instantaneously, and then darted off ahead, far from Khelgar. Everyone else just stood there, bursting out in laughter. Everyone but Khelgar. Even the druidess managed to giggle a bit. "Ah! That was priceless," the red-head mustered in-between her laughing, "We've gotta' keep that gnome!"
"Damn you all. Damn you all the to the hells."
- x -
"I am Casavir and these are my men. We have been hunting this group of orcs for days."
Griping onto his outstretched hand, she replied, "Aura 'Dovil."
So this is a paladin, eh? Hah! It really does look like there's a stick up his ass. Ah, what a shame. He's not that bad looking. Ew... He's looking at me with that creepy look everyone gives me. Except even worse. Man. Why couldn't he look weird and creepy like all the other paladins. You're getting desperate again Aura... better stop.
"Excuse me, m'lady."
Instantly, the aasimar was pulled out of her thoughts. Looking up at the man standing just above her, her hate of paladins finally kicked in. The woman glowered at the blue-eyed man while brushing strands of her hair out of her eyes. "Yeah. I'm here," she retorted, glaring at the man before her, "And I'm actually pretty busy, but thanks for the help."
The aasimar then turned herself around and began to walk. At that very moment the paladin called out, "Wait! Just a minute please m'lady."
She rotated her head, focusing her vision on the paladin. He seemed to be in some kind of distress. Oh, how ironic. Look, it's a paladin-in-distress. Hah! The man quickly made his way over to her and then continued speaking, "I can see that you and your companions here are capable... but you do know it is quite dangerous in these parts. Not that it is any of my buisness, but my I ask why you're here, in Old Owl Well?"
"I'm searching for an emissary from Waterdeep," she replied blankly.
"Oh, I see. Well, if he has gone missing out here, then he has most probably been taken by the orcs. We may be able to help each other here... "
The woman turned her head away and then responded, "Sorry, not interested."
The teifling then added onto her reply, "Yeah, I'm with her. We'd be better off not traveling with the likes of you."
"This man is clearly trying to help us Aura. Why turn him away?" asked the druidess, with arms crossed and a look of sadness in her eyes.
"I agree with her, I mean it is pretty much just common sense to assume that more help would be better," added the gnome, looking up at the aasimar with a confounded look.
Finally the sorceress interupted, "Who cares? We can just burn them."
"Pyro... " mumbled the dwarf.
The paladin glanced up at the sky, praying to the gods for guidance amongst those fools. He then sloped his head down staring at the ground. Eventually he replied in a monotone voice, "Look. It is no problem if the lady does not want my help. It is fin-"
"Come with us," murmured the aasimar, rolling her eyes with impatience.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said come with us, leave your men, if that is what you truly want."
"If it is for the sake of others, than yes. This is what I truly want."
The paladin then made his way over to his men, and bid them farewell, "Thank you... For all of you for the help you have put into all of this, but now, I shall finish this, for all of us. I would like you all to head back to Callum. I shall finish this, for all the pain we've endured. For all our lost comrades. And most of all, for all of you. All that you have given. Thank you."
"But sir!" called a woman from the corner. She came rushing at the man, her eyes filled with pain, "We cannot leave! After all we have fought for. We chose to stand beside you!"
The paladin put his hand on the woman's shoulder reassuringly. He then looked her in the eye and replied, "Katriona. This is my choice, nothing can sway me from the decision I have chosen."
"But what if something happens to you? How do you know we can trust this woman and her friends to help you!"
"Thank you for your concern, but I cannot back down now. This may be the end we have been searching for this whole time. Now it is time for me to bid you farewell. May Tyr watch over you always, Katriona."
And with that, he left the woman, with the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. Once the speech had ended, the aasimar muttered to herself, "Talk about sappy."
- x -
They had been traveling three days straight, and yet, no signs of the orc clans had been found. Only rebels who had abandoned camp. But they were just as bad. Maybe even worse. Either way, the trip had been a complete bore-fest for the aasimar. But at least Grobnar was entertaining. As for the paladin, he was practically the reason why it was so boring.
One day, to her surprise, the paladin randomly stopped in his tracks. He then turned his head to look at the woman. "Excuse me, m'lday... ?" he asked in an inquisitive tone.
Aura cocked her eye brow in curiosity. She then replied, "Yes?"
The paladin then glanced up at the sky once again, probably praying. He then brought his eyes back to her and continued, "Earlier, I had noticed your... celestial heritage... m'lad-"
"Call me Aura," she interupted, smiling at the man.
"Oh, yes. Sorry, m'l-... Aura." he replied, a clear look of embarrassment on his face. He then cleared his throat and continued, "But as I said before, I've noticed that you have this small somewhat glowing aura around you. And you're eyes, they are an unnatural hue of violet. You must be an aasimar, am I correct?"
"Hah! You just noticed now?" she replied incredulously.
Commenting on the aasimars reply, the dwarf said, "Bah! Don't worry about 'er lad. She tried her very hardest to cover up that fact," he then leaned in forward and continued, "... although, not hard enough if you ask me."
"Heh... yes I see. But Aura, I just must say that it is an honor to meet you. It is an extremely rare chance that I meet one of your kind. Us paladins live up to the likes of you. I envy you m'lady."
"Well don't, unless you enjoy a stress-filled life where everyone expects you to be something your not," she replied in a hurt tone.
Instantly, the paladin replied, eying the woman intensely, "If it is to help others. I would do so gladly."
The woman scoffed, "Why would anyone give away their own life for the sake of others so blindly. Do you really think they care? Those orcs you're trying to stop. Do you think anyone would care about a group of madmen harassing tribes of orcs? No. They would think you to be a complete idiot."
The man straitened his back and once again glanced up at the sky. He then answered the woman, slightly angered by her view of life, "Does it really matter? If no one notices your good deeds? I do not need praise from the people I have saved. As long as they are safe, that is what matters. That is a part of the vows I have sworn myself to. That is my purpose in life. "
"You know, you're lucky. You can run away. Forget those vows and start a new life. You have the freedom that I don't. I could try to run away. Try to start a new life. But nothing would change... they treat me for what I am... for what I'm not," she responded. Turning her back on the man and continuing to walk.
The paladin did not follow, he only continued speaking, "You know m'lady, that is a rather selfish way to view things. I am sure that you are making things sound worse then they are. There could have been a simpler solution than 'running away'. But although you may seem rough on the outside m'lady, but I do think that you are a kind person at heart."
"How can you say things like this, when you barely know me?"
"I feel that everyone has some good in them. Not only you."
"Think what you want, " she replied, glancing back at the man, "But I doubt those pretty words of yours are true."
She then continued, "But enough of this, we have some orcs to find. And I'm not exactly enjoying the wonderful atmosphere this place is giving me."
A/N: Well I'm starting to get back into my normal writing habits! So updates should go back to normal... hopefully. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Reviews would make me so happy. :)
