Echoes of the Past


"Patrol returning!"

Captain Kana reached the courtyard as the patrol clattered in, Marin in the lead. She inclined her head respectfully as the tiefling dismounted and handed her reins over to a waiting groom, "Knight-Captain, a... ah... visitor arrived in your absence. He's waiting for you in the Phoenix Tail Inn."

Marin squinted at her chief of staff, shading her eyes from the setting sun. "You seem hesitant, Kana. What's the matter?"

"Knight-Captain, might I advise Lieutenant Starling and I accompany you to the inn? As a precaution, you understand. We're not expecting any foreign dignitaries, and I thought it best not to allow him admittance into the Keep without proper credentials. Something about this 'visitor' is off."

"Speak your mind, Kana," said Marin. "Something else is still bothering you?"

Kana shifted uneasily. "It's just... he wouldn't tell me his name or where he was from when I asked; he just said that my dreams would gain a deeper current if I only allowed myself inner freedom, or something like that. It didn't make any sense, sir."

Marin stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then starting laughing. "Oh, that's too rich! I could just see him saying that to you. Don't put much faith in it."

"You know this person, sir?" asked Kana, surprised.

"That sounds very much like someone I met in Rashemen, though what he's doing on the Sword Coast I have no idea," replied Marin. She headed towards the inn, indicating Kana should follow. "Let's go find out."


Gannayev of Dreams stood before the fireplace, one elbow resting on the mantelpiece as he flirted with the blushing barmaid. Tall and as ruggedly handsome as she remembered, he still carried about himself that air of casual indifference and sarcastic half-smile. He looked up and smiled languidly when he saw Marin, with Kana just a step behind her. "Marin, your good captain here saw fit not to admit my lovely presence into the main keep. I believe those captivating eyes of hers saw nothing but dishonesty in my countenance."

"I wonder why," replied Marin, greeting him with a warm smile and hug. "Don't be too hard on her; she was just doing her job."

Kana saluted stiffly then, seeing that her commander really did know the stranger and that he, apparently, posed no threat to her liege. "Knight-Captain, if there's nothing else?"

"Thank you Kana," replied Marin, secretly amused at the stoic soldier's reaction to Gann. "Please ask Harcourt to prepare for an additional guest to dinner this evening."

"As you wish, Knight-Captain," replied Kana. She inclined her head briefly to Gann, the curt gesture speaking volumes, then turned and left the inn.

Gann sighed theatrically, "I believe she still thinks the worst of me. Is this my curse, that everywhere I should go people automatically judge me, assuming there must lurk some horrendous intentions beneath this beautiful face?"

"You don't do much to negate that impression," replied Marin. "In fact, I think you go out of your way to cultivate it, to have a tale of mournful injustice with which to woo the next pretty face you see."

"Ah, you wound me to the quick with your cynical words, Knight-Captain," replied Gann, his violet eyes twinkling. "I am but a poor hagspawn, though undoubtedly the most handsome you'll ever see, seemingly beset by challenges every way I turn."

Marin laughed as she led the way over to her usual table, signalling to Sal to bring them a bottle of wine. "It's good to see you too, Gann."

"And it has been far too long since I last had opportunity to gaze upon your flawless beauty, dear lady," replied Gann, taking her hand.

Marin flushed despite herself, "I thought we had agreed you wouldn't do that anymore."

"Oh, I only have eyes for my Anya now but I couldn't resist gracing you with at least one compliment, however slight, for old times' sake," said Gann. He smiled gently, "She was blooming when I left; we've just had our first child, a gorgeous little girl we've called Marina, after you."

"Congratulations," managed Marin, surprised in no small way by his admission. She remembered the farm girl they'd rescued from becoming lost in her infatuated dreams about Gann, but would never have guessed he'd eventually settle down with her. "And thank you for the honour."

Sal brought over a bottle of the Captain's Reserve and two goblets, and Gann poured for them. "To old friends and new beginnings," he proposed, raising his goblet.

Marin raised hers too, clinking it briefly against his before taking a sip. "So what brings you to Crossroad Keep, Gann? Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm not happy to see you, I'm just a touch apprehensive about what would be grave enough to make you leave your wife and travel half-way across the world just after the birth of your daughter."

"Simply put, it's about you," replied Gann. He swirled his goblet, studying the deep colour of the red wine. "I may have... stumbled... across something I thought you should see. That you have to see, I think."

"When are you going to stop speaking in riddles and just tell me why you're here?" asked Marin. Something big enough had clearly happened to move him to seek her out, but his circumspect manner about disclosing the matter was concerning.

"I'll go one better, and show you." Gann set down his goblet and reached across the table, resting his hand lightly against her temple. Their surroundings faded as the inn walls rippled and gave way to dreamscape.

Marin found herself standing on a castle's battlements, beneath a starry sky. The dreamscape was tinged an eerie silvery-grey, fainter than she remembered. Gann appeared at her side and explained, "This is my memory of a dream I walked recently. I no longer seek out the dreams of others with my Anya at my side, but occasionally one is experienced so strongly by the dreamer that one with the dreamer's eye cannot help but see it. Do you know where we are?"

She looked about, recognising familiar structures all around her. "Crossroad Keep, during the Shadow War. Look, you can see where the fortifications were still being upgraded the..." The breath caught in her throat as she realised the when of where they were, "...the night before the shadow army attacked."

A door from the tower opened behind them and she turned to see herself emerge. She was clad in a green silk gown, freshly bathed after their exertions to slow down the advancing army, her copper hair spilling like molten gold over her shoulders and down her back in long graceful curls.

"Vision of an angel," breathed Gann at her side.

Marin held her breath as another figure stepped through the door. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed upon Casavir, clad in the customary blue doublet he wore when not under arms. His black hair was slightly damp, as if he too had just bathed, his crystal blue eyes sombre and downcast as he followed her out onto the battlements.

The Marin of the dream turned from admiring the calm night to look at him, her amber eyes questioning. "You wanted to speak with me, Casavir?"

"I... I did... oh, Tyr give me strength." The paladin took a deep breath after muttering a prayer to his god. "I do, my lady. It does not seem chivalrous of me to stand on the eve of a momentous battle to defend all that we hold dear, and to continue concealing this matter from you."

"Casavir, I..."

"Please let me speak, my lady. I've kept my silence on this for far too long. You are... to say that I greatly respect you, admire you, does not do true justice to what I..." He broke off awkwardly. "My lady, I am no bard, skilled with honeyed words and beguiling looks with which to charm a beautiful woman... what I'm trying to say is... I..."

"I know," whispered Marin along with the Marin of the dream, who reached up and placed a gentle hand on the back of his head, drawing him down to kiss him softly on the lips. "And I love you too."

For a moment after their kiss he stood frozen, then drew a shuddering breath, pulled her to him and kissed her with such passion that left them both breathless. After, he held her close within the circle of his arms, gazing at her in wonder. "My lady... Marin, I love you."

She reached out and gently touched his lips with her finger. "There, that wasn't nearly as difficult as you thought it would be, was it?"

His hand curled about her finger, raising her hand to his lips. "My lady is right to chastise me. It was thoughtless of me to remain silent on this for so long, not wanting to distract you from the burdens you carry, but not giving pause for a moment for what you might be feeling. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

She laughed delightedly, kissing him again. "Relax, my love, I was just teasing you." She gave a theatrical stretch, looking about at the dark sky. "The hour grows late, maybe we should retire for the night."

"My lady, I am content to stand here with you in my arms all night long if it pleases you."

"Liar." She grinned impishly, took his hand and firmly led him to the door, and back inside.

Marin made to follow but Gann caught her arm and held her back. "The dreamer holds what came next very close to his heart. I wouldn't want to intrude."

Marin stared at him, feeling the world spinning as they started surfacing from the dream, "Gann, I... I don't understand..."

"This isn't your dream, Marin."

The bustle and noise of the inn returned in full as the dream ended; the clattering of cutlery to plates as patrons ate their evening meal, the strumming of the bard's lute as he tuned it in preparation for another night of performance, the calls of the staff as they served their customers.

Gann repeated himself gently, resting his hand on her shoulder, "That wasn't your dream, Marin. That's what I came to show you."

"If it's not mine, then..." Marin gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white. "If it's not mine, then..." She stared ashen-faced at Gann, disbelieving, "Can you walk the dreams of the dead?"

Gann shook his head, prying one of her hands free and holding it in both of his. "Echoes of the past only linger in places of great power, like that mosstone we found in Immil Vale. There may be other explanations for this, and I strongly advise caution, but the passions and emotions I experienced when walking this dream the first time suggest only one thing."

"Casavir lives," breathed Marin.