His skin was washed in a bright, warm light and a serene song wrapped around him like a silver ribbon.

Ar chonnlaigh ghlais an Fhoghmhair
A stóirín gur dhearc mé uaim
Ba deas do chos i mbróig
'Sba ró-dheas do leagan siubhail.
Do ghruaidh ar dhath na rósaí

He didn't open his eyes, letting himself float in the promise of the sweet voice. The world was soft beneath him and pure above him, the scent of green and yellow floating to him. For a moment he wondered if he was dead.


Monuar gan sinn 'ár bpósadh
Nó'r bórd luinge 'triall 'un siubhail …

But the voice broke and halted … and suddenly he recognized it. Carefully, adjusting to the golden light of the sun, he opened his eyes. She was sitting on a stool, facing the window. The sunlight dancing over her hair lightened the blood-red tones to a fiery ruby shine. To his eyes, she looked frail and bent, leaning on the sill, her face buried in her hands. She took a deep, shuddering breath and lifted her face to the sun, singing again.

Tá buachaillí na h-áite seo
A' gartha 'gus ag éirghe teann …

"I didn't teach you that one, my love." His voice, barely a whisper, was harsh as if from overuse – or long silence. "Have you been holding out on me?"

She whirled from the window, her eyes huge in her pale face.

"Valen?"

Her voice cracked and he could see her hands tremble as she twisted them. She stood as if paralyzed, seemingly unable to take her eyes from him.

He tried for a smile, but it felt raw. "You look beautiful in the sunlight. I never knew what a difference it could make."

With a small cry, she crossed the room and threw herself to her knees beside his bed. She buried her face in the feather mattress and reached blindly for him. He didn't seem to have the strength to rise from his pillow, so he took one small hand in his own and raised it to his lips. Her eyes rose to meet his and he was shocked at the red-rimmed storm clouds in the gaunt angles of her face.

His hand was unsteady as it lifted to touch the silk fall of her hair.

"It's all right, my love. I'm here."

She bent her head to his chest, then, and wept as he stroked her head.

The afternoon sun had slanted down in the window by the time Brin was able to catch her breath. Valen felt a lifetime pass in that shifting light as he soothed her as best he could. When she calmed and steadied herself, her shadowed eyes searched his face silently. She brushed his fiery hair from his face and allowed her shaking fingers to linger over his cheek.

"I must tell Nathyrra that you're awake. She'll skin me if I don't."

The assassin would want to skin her, he realised. He also remembered that there was no way she could.

"Brin, wait!"

She halted halfway to the door, her shoulders back and spine tense.

"Where was that song from?"

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "One of the planes. I don't remember which. I'm not sure I even remember the language." She bit her lip, then turned back to the door. "I'll be back later."

Nathyrra kept her cloak up, over her eyes, even in the fading evening light. Her white teeth flashed in a crooked grin as she approached his bed.

"You certainly gave us a scare this time, soldier. Good to see you're ready to stop lazing around."

"I never laze, drow," he growled. "It's a strategic downtime."

It was good to hear her chuckle in response, but she sobered quickly. "You were gone for many days, tiefling. The clerics didn't know if you would return. There were old injuries that you were hiding, yes?"

His eyes met hers, but he didn't reply.

"Ah well. It's her you'll have to answer to for that. Not me."

He tilted his head, listening for something in the assassin's voice. Understanding his unasked question, she sighed and sat heavily on a wooden stool beside his bed.

"I don't know, Valen. I don't know. It's clear she betrayed us to that elg'caress Valsharess …"

"I heard Meph…I heard him say she had sacrificed herself, Nathyrra. Do you know that she sometimes calls your name in her sleep? Mine, as well."

She waved a negating hand. "The Baatezu also said she was no love to you. Do you remember that? You can take nothing that beast said as truth."

"Except … you can know that everything was meant to drive us apart or to drive her down," Valen countered. "There is only one consistency in that one – to hurt."

"I know. By Eilistraee, I know. But I will not forget, Valen. I do not think I can forgive."

She paused, forcing her eyes out the window, to the last rays of the setting sun. "She released me, you know. She removed my own guilt from me and released her hold on my name. I cannot decide which is her true face, she transforms so rapidly. Is she the sorceress who walked beside us in the Underdark? Is she the traitor who stood by the Valsharess, the slaver who bound me?"

She turned to look at his battered form, her eyes crimson in the darkening room. "She has not left your side in all the days we've been here, you know. I thought, perhaps, she would follow you back into the Abyss. There is some truth in that."

He reached for her dark hand. "Nathyrra, please. If any know what vile things one can do in the name of survival, you and I do. We, both of us, have followed paths so black they would disgust a drider. Can we not offer a little of the understanding that we were given?"

She closed her eyes against the entreaty in his sapphire gaze, but nodded slowly. "I will try, tiefling. But I will keep a blade in my hand."

His smile warmed the dark room, even as his eyes drifted shut. "Thank you, my friend."

He was asleep before the cleric she called reached his bed side.

The song is Clannad's Coinleach Ghlas An Fhomhai. The portion I used is translated to:

On the green stubble-fields of Autumn
I saw you, my sweetheart.
Nice were your feet in shoes
And wonderful your nimble gait.
Your hair the color of roses

Alas that we're not married
Or on board ship sailing away

The boys around here are
Laughing and getting bold …