TITOLO Amber&emerald: facing the darkness
(ding-dong!) Hello, dearest readers and welcome on board to Part 2. Please put your magic wands, scrolls and assorted weapons in the hatbox above the seats and fasten your seatbelts. The emergency exits are there on your right, there on your left and there behind the Iron Golem that Edwin summoned last week and forgot to remove. We thank you for choosing to stick with the Amber&emerald trilogy and we wish you a pleasant reading.
Joking aside, heartfelt thanks to you all for still following Margaret Dawn's story, I hope you'll like this new part of the trilogy!
oxoxoxoxoxo
Meg sat on the upper deck with a cup of spiced milk in her hands, relaxing after another long day of training with her new armour on: she was finally getting accustomed to its weight and to the way it enveloped her body, the feeling becoming more and more familiar with each passing day. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she reflected, watching the waves glistening silver in the moonlight, Jon knows we're coming, it's what he wants, what he has planned, she thought, If only he would listen to me, we could try to find a cure for his curse together…He would have no need to hurt anyone else, then.
"You're pensive, my love", Anomen said, taking a sit next to her, "What ails you?". "Just some stray thoughts", she smiled and snuggled against him, "But now I have something better to think of". He smiled back and slipped his arms around her shoulders, "Are you afraid of what awaits us on the island?". "No. Well, yes, but I don't fear for myself: I fear for you all. You should just let me go on my own, after all it's my fault that Immy is in trouble now".
"Meg...", the young man sighed, shaking his head, "It's not your fault. And we can't let you face that...That beast alone, you would surely die". She opened her mouth to yell at him that she didn't care, that it was exactly what she deserved, but in the end she simply leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, "Hold me". "Gladly, my lady".
They enjoyed their closeness for a long moment, then the Ilmatari looked up at him with a shy smile, "Anomen, I...I would like for us to sleep together. I don't mean doing everything, just...Being close and cuddling a bit, you know?". The Helmite's heart skipped a beat with emotion, "I-I would love to, Meg". "Shall we, then?". "Of course", he took her hand and they descended below deck together.
oxoxoxoxoxo
After a long travel, the ship finally docked at Brynnlaw and Saemon Havarian looked quite relieved for that. "Good, we've arrived and in good time, I'd say. Congratulations to all the crew, you did an excellent job! And my guests, it was a pleasure to have you on board", he said with exaggerate cheerfulness, constantly rubbing his hands together. Yoshimo snickered, "Ah, yes, a pleasure indeed: I managed to win a nice amount of money from the sailors. They seemed to think they were the only ones knowing how to play poker".
"How to play, or how to cheat?", Meg asked with a wink and he pretended to be offended. "You wound me, sekai no hikari! How can you insinuate that the Great Yoshimo cheats at poker? Just because I marked some cards of my deck, it doesn't mean I was cheating!", he replied, struggling to keep up his air of wounded pride, but his lips curved in a roguish grin and she laughed.
Sime approached the Ilmatari, deadly serious, "I hate having to spoil your good mood, but we should not lower our guard: I think Havarian is planning something. He's not that big a fool as he would like us to believe". "Yeah, I don't trust him either, but he doesn't look that dangerous to me. Besides, we're both well-equipped and well-trained, so if he turns on us, he will regret it for the rest of his short life", the priestess said, shrugging, "Come, Immy awaits".
Before they could enter the city, Saemon walked up to them, his face was pale and twisted with fear. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to go further", he stammered, nervously rubbing his sweaty palms on his dirty trousers, "I have nothing against you, but a job is a job, you see and my employer would not take it well if I didn't do what I was paid for. You already know those you're going to face...I hope it will end soon. I hate violence", he muttered, running away as fast as his legs could carry him.
Minsc was furious, "The little pirate is a traitor! Minsc and Boo will kick his backside for this!", he yelled, but the Painbearer cut him off. "Forget about him, we have company", she said, as five Vampires appeared from the mist and lunged at the party. It was a hard and bloody fight, at the end of which the Undead were reduced to dust that was carried away by the cold salty wind.
Edwin's lips curled in a snarl, "That bloodless bitch Bodhi is behind this, no doubt", he growled, then added a comment in Thayan involving Bodhi and some assorted farm animals which caused Margaret Dawn to start and blush furiously. "Edwin!". "What? For all we know, she could as well have done it (As if she's never heard of such practices...She can't be that naive!)".
"I...Well, I've heard of it from Eldoth, yes, but that's not the point here. Oh, whatever. Sime, where should we go now?". "You should go to the Vulgar Monkey to meet your contact", the Shadow Thief answered, "You can't miss it, it's the only inn of the island". "Vulgar...Monkey?", Meg turned to the Red Wizard with an impish grin, "Did they ask for your advice in choosing the name?". He sniffed indignantly, "I had no part in it, I assure you (If I had, the inn would surely have a much better name. And it would be in a much better place than this disgusting island)".
"Uh-uh. Okay then, the Vulgar Monkey it is". "Look for a man named Sanik: he deals with Spellhold, he may know of a way to get in", Sime advised them, "I'll contact some of my old acquaintances and see if they can help too. Meet me on the path to the asylum when you have the means to get in there". "All right. Good luck, Sime and I hope we'll see you soon", the Painbearer nodded her goodbye and led her companions to the inn.
Calling it a low-level dive was an understatement: the floor was dirty and sported long scratches, the tables had clearly been broken and repaired more than once and a disgusting stench filled the air. Jaheira wrinkled her nose, "Silvanus' horns and here I thought the Coronet was bad!". The Ilmatari smiled, "Come on, at least it's not as bad as the sewers of Athkatla". "I'm not so sure about that, child".
Edwin grabbed the Human girl's arm, "Meg, tell me we won't have to stay here for long", he pleaded, making his best puppy eyes at her. "I'll try my best not to make you stay here any longer than necessary. Happy now?". "Honestly? No". She chuckled and quickly pecked him on the cheek, "Come on, cheer up: as soon as we're back to Amn, I'll buy something very powerful and extremely rare for you, okay?". The Thayan relaxed a bit, "Uhm. Well, better than nothing, I guess (And I'll make sure she doesn't forget about this promise)".
They found Sanik easily enough: he was the only patron to sit alone in a corner, shooting nervous glances around like a man expecting a knife in the back at any moment. Meg approached him first, "Excuse me, sir", she said gently and he started. "Gah! What do you want?", he nearly shouted, backing away from her. "I am Sister Meg, a Painbearer of Ilmater and I'm looking for a man named Sanik. Maybe you know him?".
He eyed her Holy Symbol and her grey vest and his tension eased slightly, "Well, that's me, miss. Why are you looking for me?". "My friends and I need to find a way to get into Spellhold and we've been told that you could help us with that". Sanik blinked, "Spellhold? Are you kidding? None of those who entered that accursed place ever came out! Why in Umberlee's name would you want to do it?".
"To save a friend of ours who's been imprisoned there", the young woman couldn't help her tone becoming pleading, "Please, sir, we just need some information, nothing more and I promise you will be well rewarded for your help". He massaged his chin thoughtfully, his eyes moving from her to the rest of the party members, "Uhm...You are adventurers, right? And you look strong and capable too". "We are, rest assured".
"Then maybe we can help each other: recently I've had a...Disagreement with...", he trailed off as he heard a soft gurgling sound coming from behind himself. Turning, he saw Yoshimo sheathing his dagger and a Dwarf lying on the floor, his throat sliced open and a short sword in his hand. "He was going to kill you", the Kara-Turan explained, pointing to the dead Dwarf, "You must have angered someone very dangerous".
Sanik's face twisted with rage, "It's that bitch Galvena! My wife Claire is one of her...Employees at her Festhall and Galvena doesn't want to let her go". "She keeps Claire prisoner, you mean", the Ilmatari said, her temper rising quickly, "And I guess the Festhall is a brothel". He nodded, "It is, yes. I've tried to take my wife away from that hell, I swear, but alone...", he made a helpless gesture.
Minsc gave him a friendly pat on the back, nearly toppling him over, "You're not alone anymore, little man! Now there are Minsc and Boo and their friends to help you! We will free your wife from the bad woman, right, little Meg?", he announced enthusiastically. Margaret Dawn smiled, "Right, Minsc. Fear not, Sanik, we will make sure that Galvena will not bother you anymore".
Edwin cleared his throat, "And what about our 'heroic rescue'? Have you already forgotten about it? (Bah, she will never change! Always ready to help every single wretch who comes whining to her...Though I'm not sure if that's such a bad thing)", he added pensively. "I've not forgotten about it, it's a trade of services: we save Sanik's wife and he tells us how to get into Spellhold", the Ilmatari replied, then she turned to Sanik, "Deal?". "Deal. I'll wait for you here and pray". "Okay. Anomen, you'll stay here and watch over him, just in case Galvena has sent some other killer. The rest of you, with me".