Chapter 37 Love in the Moment
Usual disclaimers: I took some liberties with the dialog from the OC, and there is more in this chapter than I like to use, as well as paraphrasing. The characters in this story are owned by a whole lot of other people and not me, with the exception of an occasional NPC and a bear and paladin lovin' ranger. I do take liberties with the OC sometimes too.
The Greycloaks who accompanied Sir Nevalle dismounted and handed their weary horses off to the stablehands. Elanee followed to tend to them, muttering about running the poor things into the ground. The Keep's Greycloaks showed Nevalle's to the barracks, helping two of them who were too weak to walk on their own to the temple to get Brother Ivarr to treat them. Dee turned her attention to Sir Nevalle.
Despite his exhaustion Nevalle felt compelled to explain. "Lord Nasher's alive but...badly wounded. Perhaps mortally." He flushed, his face a mask of shame and horror as he described the battle of Highcliff. "There were so many of them, Dee, wave upon wave of them, and Lord Nasher waded into the fray though we had urged him to watch the battle from the safety of the cliff. I warned him his golden armor made him stand out from the rest of Neverwinter's forces and drew the enemy like a beacon, but he wouldn't let me put it on and take his place as a decoy. Thus the intelligent undead and shadow priests targeted him."
She swallowed hard, thinking of the day of her knighting. "Intelligent undead―shadows and vampires."
Nevalle was also thinking of the attack on Castle Never. "He called for his Nine, but we were...I was unable to get to him in time." He sobbed, "I blame myself, Dee. They're bringing him here to be treated. We require a room for him, someplace where it's dark and quiet."
Casavir immediately volunteered his old room, which he had kept as a meditation and arming chamber. "Let us get you to your tower and then I'll go remove the rest of my things."
Dee gave Nevalle a hug then called out to Kana, who was striding up to join them, " Lord Nasher has been injured and is being brought here to recover. Have Casavir's room made ready for him and have Zhjaeve meet us at Sir Nevalle's tower." Kana saluted crisply then hustled off at once to see to the hundred little details required by a visit by someone of the stature of their Lord, wounded or not.
Nevalle looked as if he was ready to collapse. Casavir had gotten him a dipper of water and held it for him as he drank slowly then put an arm around him to steady him. "Come, Gilles, let us get you to your quarters." Dee stepped up on his other side and put her arm around him as well.
Nevalle closed his eyes and tried to compose himself as they walked him to his tower. "Darmon rode for Neverwinter to bring priests and healers to meet us here. Callum and his forces were holding off the undead army while we got Lord Nasher and the other wounded away. But we didn't have time to gather the dead, and I fear...we've left them to be added to the enemy's forces."
The horror on his face brought back memories of West Harbor and made the bile rise in Dee's throat. To this day she didn't know how many of her neighbors had been raised as shadows, or whether it had all been a charade to weaken her resolve. She swallowed the bile back and focused Nevalle. "They should be here within a tenday then." She tried to sound matter-of-fact, but she knew she failed miserably, though only Casavir noticed. Nevalle was too far gone to do anything but grunt in agreement. They helped him out of his armor and carefully removed his clothing. Zhjaeve arrived as Casavir was returning with a basin of fresh water and clean cloths to wash his wounds. The Widow Jons and her Sharessans hurried over too as soon as word reached them he had returned. Nevalle was one of their best customers, a regular participant during their rites of Sharess, and next to Sand, their favorite. They waited until the Githzerai finished casting a healing spell before they turned their attention on Nevalle, gently taking over bathing, bandaging, and comforting him.
Dee and Casavir left him, promising to stop by later to see how he was doing. Once they got outside Dee paused and grimaced. Cillian sniffed the air in alarm and Casavir asked, "Is something amiss, my lady?" as she excused herself and forced herself to walk calmly but quickly into the privy near the women's barracks to yield to her churning stomach. She stepped out, rinsed her mouth with water from the rain barrel, and accepted Casavir's damp handkerchief to wipe her face.
He looked concerned, having waited with Cillian close enough that he heard her retching. "Feel better now, my love? Don't fret. That's a common reaction to war, more common than you know. I became sick after my first battle during the war with Luskan." He took her hand and smiled sweetly at her.
She slipped her arms around his neck, lay her head against his chest, closed her eyes, and allowed herself a few moments of basking in his calming presence. She did feel better now that it was out. "Yes, much. Come, let's go look in on Nevalle's troops." It wasn't seeing the wounded; she had seen plenty of wounds and death in her young life. It was the idea that her own Greycloaks would soon be among the injured and dead, and perhaps her friends. She closed her eyes and uttered a silent prayer to the god of the dead, reminding him of their deal.
Several hours later a guard on the wall shouted that she saw riders and wagons in the distance accompanied by Greycloaks on foot. Dee and Casavir hurried to the top of the wall and took turns peering into the distance with her spyglass. She sent one of Wolf's crew to tell Kana they were arriving and went to await them at the doors to the Keep proper. Dee assigned Bevil and Katriona to finding quarters for the arriving Greycloaks. The Widow Jons and her Sharessans stood by to assess the wounded and direct those who needed more than bandages, poultices, and a kiss to the temple, where the pews had been moved aside and two of Brother Ivarr's acolytes had set up cots and waited to treat the most seriously wounded.
Lord Nasher was brought to the Keep in a covered wagon. Nevalle, though still rather weak, was out of bed as soon as word reached him and waiting anxiously with them. Lord Nasher was put on a litter, which was carefully removed from the wagon and borne by four Greycloaks. Sir Nevalle walked with them as they carried him up the stairs, followed by Brother Ivarr and Zhjaeve. Dee saw his face for a moment as they passed. His eyes were sunken, and his skin was so ashen she might have wondered if he was alive if he hadn't been conscious enough to meet her eyes for a heartbeat. She and Casavir followed but stepped out into the hallway while they put him into bed.
Nevalle was shooed off by the clerics so they could remove Lord Nasher's bandages and examine his wounds. He came to wait beside Dee and Casavir and whispered, "Darmon went for clerics of Lathander from Neverwinter. I pray they arrive in time."
Dee was gaped at him. She wanted to ask how bad could he be if Brother Ivarr or Elanee and Zhjaeve couldn't heal him, and at the same time she wondered why Lathander's clerics were being summoned. Casavir nudged her as her curiosity got the better of her and she asked, "What happened? Why were the clerics with him unable to heal him?"
Nevalle bit his fist before he answered. "They swarmed him, biting him, exsanguinating him, and tearing at him with their filthy claws. Father Imarth of Tyr said he has been cursed, but their counter spells have been ineffective thus far. They healed his wounds, yet they say he weakens more with each day."
Dee met Casavir's eyes as the meaning of the word and the truth of Lord Nasher's affliction sunk in. She mouthed, "vampire," and immediately put her hand over her mouth, mindful of not saying anything within earshot the Greycloaks on duty in the hall. Casavir nodded grimly. It made sense to her then, sending for a cleric of the god of dawn and the sun to heal someone cursed by darkness.
She recalled a conversation with Brother Merring when she was still a pig-tailed girl of fourteen not long after he arrived in West Harbor. Upon hearing from Georg she was learning the skills of a ranger from Daeghun, he told her about special rangers who served Lathander, making it their mission to hunt down and destroy the undead. She thought now about how funny life was. She had laughed at the time at the very idea of a ranger spending all his or her time in some dank crypt instead of out in the fresh air, but now she had to admit she felt as driven to hunt the ghasts and ghouls as she once had been to fight orcs.
Since there was nothing else to do they offered hollow words of encouragement while they waited until Sir Nevalle was allowed back inside and they felt they could leave.
The next two days passed maddeningly slowly. Sir Nevalle had his tower closed up and slept on the floor on a pallet beside Lord Nasher's bed until Dee had the divan moved from the solar for him. Lord Nasher was no better, but thankfully no worse, though even the Dawnbringer of Lathander was unable to remove the curse. He advised waiting, reasoning that if Lord Nasher was the thrall of a vampire, it would come for his victim eventually and likely would have done so already if it wasn't also bound to serve its master. He also cautioned them to station more guards outside the room and in the solar, lock the door, and bar the windows to keep him from escaping in the night if the call of the vampire proved too strong to resist.
A courier from Waterdeep arrived and Sir Nevalle spoke with him, acting as Lord Nasher's proxy. Nevalle, looking grim, found Dee sparring with Jalboun in the practice yard. "We received some good news. The Lord's alliance and Waterdeep have reinforcements on the way, but if we can't hold this Keep until they arrive, all is lost."
She said flatly, "Then we better make damn sure we hold it. We must proceed as if they weren't comin'."
A day later a guard who was posted on the wall shouted for the Knight Captain saying that there had been a message received from the tower near the river via semaphore. Dee hurried to the wall at once, followed by Casavir. "What is it, Brennem?"
The Greycloak replied, "The message was, 'One of Nine, troops, fighting monster. Send help!'" He screwed up his face as he waved his flags back and waited for the message to be returned. Dee shouted down for their horses to be readied at once and sent another Greycloak to inform their companions. Finally the guard shrugged and replied, "There's a big question mark there, Captain. He says it's 'unholy.'" The horses were saddled within minutes as the guard reported, "Sorry, Captain, there's been no further communication." But Dee knew at once what "unholy" meant: a shadow reaver was there fighting Callum.
At that moment Elanee, who was patrolling in the lands away from the roads in the form of a falcon, flew into the Keep and landed looking sickened as she shifted into her elven form. "I saw the undead army coming from the southeast. It was horrible, Dee. They weren't moving, just standing there under the trees, and some of the the ones that still had flesh were bloating in the sun. It was horrible, such an abomination of nature!"
Casavir jumped gracefully onto Thunder's back as Ammon Jerro, Sand, and Khelgar hurried to join them. He said, "It's likely they're controlled by the need of most of their leaders to avoid the sun. The skeletons and zombies are but fodder."
Dee accepted a leg up from a Greycloak and spurred Blossom. She shouted to her companions, "Come on, I'll fill you in on the way."
They were riding down the ridge when they spotted Callum and several of his warriors surrounded by blade golems and skeletons, trying to reach a shadow reaver directing them. The ground was slick and stained with the blood of the Greycloaks who had fallen. She spurred Blossom hard, drew her blades and charged, but was still too far away when she saw Callum cut down along with his remaining troops. Casavir also spurred Thunder and rode right behind her, using his war hammer effectively to knock the heads off the skeletons as he passed.
The reaver turned his attention to Dee, taunting her. "I remember you from Castle Never. You cannot hope to defeat me, and your corpse and those of your companions will now be added to our army." He gestured at the golems, which glowed briefly as he imbued them with the the elements of fire, acid, and lightning.
Dee uttered a vile curse and added, "Not if I send you to the hells first."
Sand muttered, "Oh dear, yes, let's bring his mother into this," as he reined his horse and prepared a protective spell.
Khelgar studied the golems for structural weaknesses as he dismounted from his pony and drew the Hammer of Ironfist, aiming for the knees and using his monk training to enhance his blows. He was effective in crippling two of them, though he was injured by their fire and acid attacks.
Ammon Jerro summoned a skeleton to protect himself then cast his own version of an invisibility spell. He had reined his horse on the ridge and began chanting the names from his scroll focusing on the reaver, staying far enough away that he wouldn't be interrupted by an attack but close enough for the spell to take effect.
Dee and Casavir aided by Khelgar and Cillian fought on stoically, trying to buy Ammon Jerro enough time to finish chanting all the names and complete the spell. She used the Blade Storm attack of the sword, knocking one of the golems over and making dents in the rest. Then she willed the blade to surround her and Casavir with a Shard Barrier.
Sand and the shadow reaver blasted each other with fireballs and bolts of energy. He cast another spell that created an enchanted sword to fight the golems, and another which caused a giant hand to appear that tried to grapple the shadow reaver.
Suddenly a dark bolt of power flew at the reaver from the ridge, and they knew Ammon Jerro was signaling that he had succeeded in reading the scroll. Dee pointed the hilt and willed her the shards of her sword to fly at the reaver, who screamed in rage and fear as he realized their attacks were having an effect on him. Sand attacked immediately with his Mordenkainen's Disjunction spell, and then they all turned their attacks on it until it crumpled to the ground. Khelgar finished the remaining golem as Dee and Casavir ran to Callum's side.
Casavir shook his head. "It has been too long. He's gone."
Dee nodded numbly and joined him in a prayer to Tyr as Sand and Ammon Jerro examined the remains of the shadow reaver. Jerro removed a ring from a bony finger while Sand went through a magic bag the creature carried and withdrew a large black book. He stared wide-eyed and gasped, "Oh my!"
Jerro looked over to see what he found. "Hmm...Looks like it's bound in human skin...could it be? Is that the Tome of Iltkazar? Was the reaver fool enough to bring it with him?" But he could see by the covetous gleam in the elf's eyes that it was. "I suppose it would have needed it to transport the golems here. Its loss will greatly hamper our enemy's efforts."
Jerro, Khelgar and Casavir remained behind guarding the dead while Dee and Sand rode back to the Keep to take the tome to Aldanon and to see to the grim task of sending wagons to transport the fallen to the Keep for burial. The little cemetery beside the temple of Tyr would be filled to capacity and then some, so Dee decided on the way back to create a new cemetery outside the wall. Nevalle was waiting for them to return and somberly listened to the news about Callum. Dee knew they weren't exactly friends, but they had the fraternal bond of service to Neverwinter, and she was learning that those bonds often exceeded those of friendship and kinship. "As a Tyrran and a member of the Nine, Callum should be buried inside the temple unless Lord Nasher says otherwise. We could hold a service in the morning unless...but from Elanee's report, the rest of the undead army shouldn't be here for a few more days, so we have time."
"Thank you, Dee. I think he would like being laid to rest here since he gave his life defending this Keep, though I feel he would rather be buried outside the walls with his troops. It would be like he was with us in spirit during the battle to come. I fear Nash will take his death hard. He was fond of Callum, and with him and Melia gone, his Nine..." He shuddered as his grief overcame him, unable to go on.
Dee replied guiltily as she pulled him into a hug, "I asked for time to think about it when Lord Nasher offered me the honor of joining you. Tell him for me I'll give him an answer after this is all over." It wasn't a lie really, she told herself. If she lived she had every intention of following through.
Nevalle didn't look nearly as appalled by the thought as he did when Lord Nasher first offered her the position. "I'll let him know. Now if you will excuse me, I'll go tell Nash about Callum then speak to Brother Ivarr about the service."
Sand accompanied Dee to the library, where they pulled the tome out of Dee's bag and presented it to the befuddled sage. It was as if merely seeing it awakened him from a long slumber. Aldanon recognized the tome at once then drifted off into a story about summer in Candlekeep when he was a lad and a dalliance with a young priestess of Oghma.
Since it seemed like it was going to become a long story, Sand interrupted him. "Yes, that's all very good, but we need to see if there's something in it that will let us find the lair of King of Shadows. Come, let's begin our study, shall we?" He directed Aldanon into a chair and sat right next to him, and they both put on soft gloves so they wouldn't damage the pages and reverently opened the cover. But once they began reading, Aldanon's attention was focused keenly on his task. Dee made arrangements with Aldanon's apprentices, some of whom couldn't resist reading over their master's shoulder as well, to remind him to take regular privy and meal breaks before she and Cillian left to ask for volunteers from the Greycloaks to form a grave-digging detail.
Callum was buried the next morning in a vault in the temple next to Shandra rather than outside with his troops, though when Nevalle spoke with Lord Nasher he said he was of a mind to have him disinterred after the war and moved to Neverwinter to be given a hero's burial there. They set aside gold to pay for a monument to the fallen in the new cemetery. Every cleric at the Keep blessed the dead to protect them from being raised by the shadow priests.
Dee increased the patrols and sent out every scout available, though she was irritated that Bishop seemed to be perpetually drunk and rarely went out to help scout anymore. She didn't understand what his problem was. Besides the sour reek of alcoholic sweat, she could smell something else she couldn't put her finger on. He did help out in unexpected ways though, she reminded herself, such as performing his own inspections at the gates. That took the edge off her irritation. He told her he wanted to make sure with Veedle and most of its men gone that the chains and ropes that opened and closed the main gate were being maintained. That seemed odd, but she shrugged it off and told herself she should be glad he thought of something she hadn't.
Bishop had his own reasons for making an inspection of the Keep's defenses, and he also made a quick trip down to Grobnar's workshop alone when he knew the gnome was away singing for Lord Nasher, and quickly tested the command word to the construct. It worked perfectly, and after he satisfied himself by giving it a few simple commands, he told it to rest then went to finish a bottle of rum. But he wasn't alone, as Karnwyr would have told him if he had brought him along.
One of Wolf's crew, a girl named Dulcie, liked to watch the gnome work and was enchanted by his stories and his songs. She had fallen asleep waiting for him to return on a pile of burlap sacks under a table, hidden behind a messy stack of boxes and debris. She was awakened when she heard the clang of the construct moving across the stone floor. But the gnome's cheerful singing didn't greet her ears. Instead she heard another male voice giving orders to the construct, so she clutched her dagger at her waist and withdrew into the shadows. She peered out when she heard the visitor leaving. When Grobnar returned and she was quite sure he was alone, she shyly told him what she had observed and finished with, "It was that ranger, the one with the wolf. I didn't see his face, but I saw him from the back as he passed up the stairs. I don't know why I hid. I feel silly because he's one of the Knight Captain's companions, but I just had a funny feeling."
He smiled kindly at her and patted her arm. "Perfectly understandable. But keep what you saw to yourself for now, won't you?" She nodded, thinking this request was strange too but figured he was older and wiser than she. "And that reminds me of a song. If you could fetch me that spare mandolin, I'll teach you to play it, and you can take the mandolin with you and practice." Grobnar correctly estimated the attention span of a fifteen-year-old human girl with a new toy, and by the time he had taught her a few basic chords then the chorus and finally coaxed her to sing along with him, she had forgotten all about Bishop's visit. But the gnome hadn't. He was surer than ever that Bishop was up to no good, but he knew that telling the Captain would be as useful as telling the wall. But the paladin, on the other hand...
However, Grobnar didn't get a chance to tell Casavir that day. Daeghun sent word that the enemy was setting up camp down by the river. So far they had only brought crates of supplies, and the bulk of the army hadn't arrived. Dee sent a squad of Greycloaks ahead then summoned her companions, Kana, Nevalle, and her sergeants to the War Room where she pointed to the bridges on the map. "I hate to say it considering it cost us twenty thousand in gold to build 'em, but Kana thinks if we destroy the bridges it would slow them down." She knew traveling under water wouldn't be a barrier to the skeletons, zombies, and ghasts, but Kana thought enough of them might be swept away by the swift current if they tried crossing. "I don't know if fireball spells will be enough to do it though." She looked from Sand to Qara for confirmation.
Qara met Dee's eyes and sneered, "Mine will. I can't say the same for his." However, she looked away then, as if she didn't quite believe her own assertion.
Sand shook his head and replied tersely, "Those bridges are built of stone, not wood. Therefore, your fireballs will have little effect." Dee had asked him to refrain from addressing Qara as 'idiot girl' but the words were still conveyed by his tone. They bickered for several minutes until Dee rubbed her temples and insisted they stop.
Grobnar had a sudden inspiration and stood on a chair and banged on the table to get their attention. He said excitedly, "Oh! I know just the thing! I could create more blastglobes with some help from Aldanon's assistants! If we place them around the support structure of the bridges, a single fireball will activate them and bring them down in no time!" He was so excited that as soon as Dee nodded in agreement, he ran off to the small stone workshop he had outside the Keep proper where he conducted his more volatile experiments, along with a few willing helpers. Unfortunately, like a child with a new toy, the prospect of controlled mayhem drove all thoughts of Bishop from his mind.
Qara muttered, "I'll be in my chamber. But I warn you, don't you dare come crawling to me if the idiot blows himself and half the Keep up. You'll have to make due with the hedge wizard."
Grobnar crafted a dozen blastglobes in record time with only one minor explosion that blew out a wall but caused no injury to him or his helpers. He had the foresight to create them one at a time and carefully store each completed blastglobe nestled in a bed of straw in a sturdy crate. He proudly reported his success to the others in the War Room within the hour. They decided that sending a small stealthy attack force that could place the globes without engaging the enemy directly, unless they had to, was the best strategy. The only question was who was going to go. Casavir insisted on coming. Bishop snorted. "Yeah, right, a deaf man could hear his holiness coming a mile away." But Casavir could travel in lighter armor, and had on many occasions. Neeshka seemed an obvious choice for stealth, and if they encountered another shadow reaver, they needed Ammon Jerro or Zhjaeve along.
Dee paced nervously waiting to set out that afternoon with her companions as soon as the blastglobes were loaded on a pair of sure-footed mules. Ammon Jerro would accompany them and wait invisibly on the ridge. Neeshka and Grobnar were to hide in wait for an opportunity to slip into the water and place the blastglobes on the bridges, once the others and the Greycloaks defeated the enemy and were back safely on their side of the river. Zhjaeve and Elanee would treat the wounded and wait near Ammon Jerro as reserves, with Khelgar serving as a bodyguard for them all. Dee had considered Qara for the mission until her outburst. She told Casavir as they waited for the others to get ready, "I'm more inclined than ever to send the spoiled brat away, but now there isn't time, and we can't spare an escort for her anyway."
He replied diplomatically, "Perhaps she may still have a chance to prove herself when the enemy arrives."
She kissed his cheek and whispered, "You have more infinitely more patience than I do, love. I've had it with her, but for your sake she can stay."
Daeghun was waiting for them when they arrived. Dee's face lit up as she saw him. She slipped off Blossom and strode over to him and the archers with him. "Father, it is good to see you." He was out scouting so often that even with him at the Keep she could go days without seeing him.
Daeghun cut her off. "Save your greetings, you have little time. You will need to strike swiftly if we are to prevail." Casavir frowned. Surely there was time for a moment's civility to his daughter. Once this was finished, he planned to have a talk with his future father-in-law.
Dee, however, suppressed a sigh because she was Daeghun's daughter, and she knew he was right. There was no time for pleasantries. She became the Knight Captain addressing her scout. "Very well. What have you seen at the bridges?"
He told her the Greycloaks were already fighting by the first bridge, and he was sure there was a shadow reaver at the second. When he finished, he said flatly, "If there's nothing further, I will return to the Keep." He turned to leave then hesitated and added, "Guard yourself well, Dierdre. We can speak when you return."
She nodded. "Take care, father." As he and his archers slipped into the trees, she motioned Casavir and Sand on.
They joined the Greycloaks fighting a cluster of skeletons and ghasts led by two shadow priests near a deserted farm then fought another group of undead closer to the bridge. They were about to cross the bridge when Casavir spotted some movement down the road. He pointed and said, "That could be where their supplies the scouts reported seeing have been stored."
"Naturally we're going to investigate and destroy their supplies instead of getting on with blowing up the bridges then getting away to relative safety." Sand complained, but Dee knew in his heart he relished the exhilaration of the fight.
She grinned at them. "Didn't Kana say Daeghun saw a number of large crates? I've been thinkin' what would an undead army with just a handful of living shadow priests need with so many supplies?"
Casavir raised an eyebrow. "What indeed. Come, let's have a quick look. If nothing else, we can blow up their supplies as well so the time won't be wasted. That's bound to hinder them."
They traveled off the road out of sight in the trees while the others waited with the Greycloaks. Once they climbed a hill overlooking the supply depot and lay on their bellies to spy on it, Dee counted ten rectangular boxes and whispered, "What do you think? Those look big enough to hold a body." Casavir murmured in agreement as he whispered an incantation to detect the presence of undead.
Sand whispered, "I fear you're right, dear girl. We should have brought stakes. But look, it appears they've foolishly left only two shadow priests on guard." They didn't need the stakes. Once Dee crept up and slit the throat of one surprised shadow priest and Casavir caved in the head of another with his hammer, it was enough to pry open the lids and expose the vampires inside to the sun. Sand was ready with a wand of lightning for two that managed to get more than a few feet away from the coffins, and Cillian mauled a third. They stabbed them through the heart to lessen their suffering when they could and doused the remains with holy water. Sand finished by summoning a Gust of Wind to scatter their ashes because Casavir said he had heard somewhere that a vampire can regenerate eventually even from a pile of ash if that step wasn't taken.
At the Keep, at the very moment the fourth vampire was destroyed, Lord Nasher sat upright and looked around wildly. The young priest of Sharess who had been lying beside him to give him warmth sat up and checked his pulse then peered into his eyes. Nevalle, who was working at a small writing desk which had been brought there for him, ran to Nasher's side and took his hand. "What is it, Nash?"
Lord Nasher gasped, "I feel...as if an enormous weight was lifted from my chest. For the first time in days I feel I can breathe!" Nevalle threw his arms around him, and Nasher returned the embrace and gave him a kiss and stroked his smooth cheek. "I am still weak, but I believe I'm on the mend."
Nevalle gave him a long, soft kiss. "That's the best news I could have heard, my love. I've been worried sick about you. The only thing that will make this day better is hearing that the bridges have been destroyed."
The young priest stood and bowed to them with a smirk. "Excuse me, your Excellency, Sir Nevalle. I'll leave you two alone...for now. I'll go get you something to eat, and later I'm sure you would like a sponge bath."
Back at the river Dee surveyed the scene at the supply dump with giddy satisfaction. She gave Casavir a quick kiss and said smugly, "I 'spose they'll have a harder time controlling their army without their generals. Come on, let's get the others and see what's across the south bridge."
Once they fought their way past more skeletons and shadow priests to the bridge, however, they discovered not just any shadow reaver, but Black Garius himself. And not just him, but more skeletons, ghouls, and ghasts. Dee couldn't afford the time to glance behind her to see if Ammon Jerro was close enough to read his scroll and activate the spell, but she prayed he was. Black Garius sneered at her. "You again! You've been lucky thus far, but know that I shall soon come to reclaim my former home."
Dee asked herself what it was about shadow reavers that made them compelled to taunt their opponents. She muttered, "Yeah, yeah, after you've added my corpse to your undead army, I've heard it before. The Keep was never your home, Garius, and your things you left behind, including your collection of women's small clothes, were burned. The only home I'm sending you to is to the hells!"
He laughed derisively. "I shall have fun with your corpse, girl. My master has almost escaped his confinement. But even while confined he has the ability to grant vast power to his faithful. Behold and tremble." He smirked as much as a skull could smirk and gestured at the undead moving towards them. The creatures glowed briefly then grew to twice their size. "Farewell, Captain. I would say I look forward to our next meeting, but I don't think you're going to survive the day." He vanished, and the shadow priest shouted, "Kill them all."
Sand whispered, "Oh my. This isn't good." Dee realized with a sickening feeling that he must not have a spell to counter Garius's magic. Casavir stepped up beside her, and she whispered, "I'm goin' for the priest" and told Cillian to go for the closest skeleton. Suddenly she heard a whoosh overhead and flaming arrows streaked past them from the hill behind them and into the ghasts and skeletons on either side of the shadow priest. The arrows exploded upon impact. She didn't have time to look to see who their benefactor was, but she didn't have to. She only knew two archers who were as accurate with a bow, and she knew which of the two it was. She murmured, "Thanks, father," as she shouted the order to charge and bore down on the shadow priest.
It was just a matter of mopping up the remaining undead. Once Casavir ran up a road that curved around a hill and destroyed a skeletal archer, he waved at Dee, who was looking around in disbelief that there was nothing left to kill again. She waved back then put two fingers in her mouth and made the high shrill whistle of the crested swamp hawk, signaling Neeshka and Grobnar that it was all clear. Daeghun and his archers came down the hill to join them. She grinned at him. "I see you changed your mind about returning to the Keep, and arrived just in time."
He murmured dismissively, "Yes. It was...a father's instincts, and I was right."
She gave him a hug despite his discomfort at public displays of affection, and she noted that he wasn't as stiff as usual as he returned it. "Yes, you were. Thank you, father. Come, let's hasten back across the bridge so Sand can set off the blastglobes."
They sent the Greycloaks who had come with them back with the wounded and the dead (only two, fortunately) then took cover behind a boulder as Neeshka and Grobnar sprinted by and stopped up their ears. There was a huge explosion followed by a succession of smaller explosions that made the ground shake and caused a tree to topple. Sand sashayed by calmly encased in a sphere of shimmering energy. Once it was over, they cheered and exchanged giddy hugs all except for Ammon Jerro, who stood apart with his arms folded across his chest glowering at them, as if defying them to try to hug him. Not that any one would consider it but Dee and Neeshka, who had both finally forgiven him once they got him to admit his responsibility for Shandra's death and he asked his granddaughter's spirit for forgiveness. Dee gave Cillian a hug instead and took Casavir's hand. "We've bought some time. Come on, let's get back to the Keep and celebrate!"
They arrived just after sunset as Selune was rising in her glory, and were met by Kana and Sir Nevalle. Kana scoffed at their concern about facing giant-sized skeletons, but the giddiness was contagious. "Come, dinner is ready. You must all be hungry." Dee realized as her stomach rumbled she was as hungry as a bear in springtime and about to follow them in when Casavir put his hand on her shoulder and stopped her.
"What is it, love?" Cillian turned his small brown eyes on him and chuffed with annoyance that they weren't following the others inside where there was always a large tub of tasty food beside the Captain's chair for him. She patted the bear and nodded for the guard to let him in then repeated her question. The look on Casavir's face drove all thoughts of hunger from her.
Casavir took a deep breath and looked as if he was trying to work up the nerve for something. "There has been something troubling me of late, my lady. I wish to speak with you privately, somewhere without interruptions. I was thinking we could go up on the wall. We could observe the troops, but there is little chance of our being disturbed."
She took his arm, a bit nervous at his tone. What could be troubling him, unless he had come to the conclusion that Tyr's will was for them to part. But she searched and didn't read that in his beautiful blue eyes. He was nervous, but that was all she could read. "That's true enough. We have precious little privacy even in our chamber. Very well, lead on, love." They saw Bevil and Katriona in the distance, who waved like they were trying to get their attention, but they quickly went up the stairs with Casavir almost pulling her along.
Of course even on the wall finding a quiet corner was easier said than done. But they walked on until they were out of earshot of the closest guard, and she had to admit it was beautiful there with the full moon casting a soft light. What he had to tell her took her breath away. He took her hand and told her all his doubts about them being together were gone. Instead of what she feared he thanked her for making him stronger and for helping restore his faith. He told her he could now see the good in feeling something for another. She knew what he meant, someone other than Tyr. He no longer feared he would have to choose between her and his god. She was about to throw herself into his arms around him and suggest they continue in their chamber. But just then Bevil and Katriona appeared on the landing. Casavir sighed and took her hand. "I long to finish this, my love. But you are the Captain, and that must come first even before our needs."
She let out an exasperated sigh. "I know, and I want you to finish. Your words are what I've been longing to hear."
Bevil looked from one to the other as they reached them. "Are we interrupting something?" He blushed crimson, and Katriona did likewise, knowing from the way they stood and the expressions on their faces that they were, and knowing themselves how precious the moments were that the two of them managed to find together.
Dee and Casavir said in unison, "No, it's alright," then looked at each other and laughed.
Bevil's face betrayed the same nervousness Casavir's had when he first asked her up here, and he rubbed his neck and looked at the ground. "I...um...it's just that..." Katriona nudged him with her elbow and steeled his resolve. He swallowed hard, gave Katriona a 'yes, dear' look, and blurted out, "We decided...I mean, we've been talkin' about getting married."
"That's wonderful news!" Dee knew that they spent quite a bit of their spare time together, but she hadn't guessed they were this serious yet. Casavir offered his congratulations as well but looked like he wanted to add, "Now if you don't mind..."
Katriona took control and blurted out, "We decided to do it tonight, before the battle." She looked to Bevil for confirmation.
Bevil gave her another 'yes, dear' nod. "Anyway, the Widow Jons and Jalboun were married this afternoon...So I guess she's not the Widow Jons anymore."
Dee said absently, "I didn't even know they were seein' one another."
Bevil nodded. "He's goin' to help her run the festhall after the war." Katriona frowned and nudged him again to get him back on the subject. "Anyway, to celebrate she and her girls are marryin' a few folks in her shrine at the festhall before the battle. We're heading there now, and we heard you got back and we wanted to ask if you two could stand up for us. You're the closest thing we have to kin here."
Casavir said, "We would be honored, that is..." His eyes twinkled as he smiled at Dee, took her hand again and dropped to one knee. "That is if you two would do the same for us. We could even have a double wedding." He blushed, not being this impulsive by nature. "That is...I know you had your heart set on a formal wedding in the fall, but will you marry me, tonight?"
Dee chuckled. "Love, Nevalle had his heart set on a huge formal wedding." Just last tenday he had shown her the magenta silk he had selected for the undergown. "But we can always make it up to him later with the huge wedding of his dreams." She no longer thought that was likely, but she pushed that thought to the back of her mind and smiled down at Casavir, deciding to live for the day. "Yes, I will, but you're a step ahead of me. You've already thought of your vows."
He laughed. "I have indeed, if I can remember what I said." He stood a bit stiffly. "We will meet you two there in a few minutes. If you don't mind, my love, could I take a few minutes to get out of my armor and sponge off?"
She had to admit they both reeked of sweat, blood, and ichor. "Good idea. Bevil, Katriona, we'll meet you there, but if you help us, it won't take but a few minutes." She threw herself into Casavir's arms and gave him another happy kiss, and then they scurried for the stairs. On the way down she Wolf to tell her companions having dinner and to find Daeghun.