21. The Beginning is the End
16 FLAMERULE 1600 ATHKATLA - JANSEN RESIDENCE
"Come in, 007, come in."
Jan Jansen was sitting hunched over a little stool, staring at a desk, on which sat a crystal ball, mounted on a metal pedestal with many buttons that the gnome was pushing rapidly as he spoke. Behind him stood a white-haired knight, arms crossed impatiently.
"Why isn't he responding, Q?" the elderly armored man grumbled. "He's right there, isn't he?"
"Well yeah, I've got my wizard eye right on him. But, eh, well, you know Keldie," Jan chuckled, waving his stubby arms around, "He's eh.busy."
"By the tonsils of Torm!" Keldorn exclaimed. "He should have been back days ago! Let me see that."
Keldorn stooped down over the desk and looked at the crystal ball; and couldn't help noticing that the pedestal had "J.S.M.: Jansen Scrying Machines" engraved along the side. The inquisitor peered into the ball itself, and his goateed jaw nearly hit the desk.
The image was of some sort of luxurious inn room, and focused on a bed, out of which a gaggle of limbs were sticking haphazardly in every direction; some thicker, tanned ones, and some thinner, paler ones with purple nails.
Keldorn hastily looked away from the crystal ball as his scarred cheeks reddened, but Jan laughed, "Dontcha worry, big guy. Ain't checkin' in on 007 your duty or somethin'?"
The aged inquisitor sighed uneasily. "Q, why do I get the feeling that your little 'J.S.M.' device has seen this sort of thing before?"
The gnome chuckled, "Well, you see, it all started back when my great- uncles Billygoats Jansen and Hugo Hefsen got together. 'Bill' had this scrying invention called Wizard Windows for the World Wide Weave, and 'Hugh' had this illustrated circular called Playgnome, and so they formed a joint entrepreneurial venture to."
"Eh, I think I get the gist," Keldorn hooked a long index finger in his armor collar nervously.
"Hey look, Keldo!" Jan pointed a hairy finger at the ball.
A smugly grinning female face with long purple hair popped up from underneath the white sheets. The woman exhaled contentedly, giggled, and then looked around. She spotted and grabbed a martini glass, but before she'd gotten it to her purple lips, her eyes flicked around, and then stopped, looking straight back out of the crystal ball.
"Jarek..what is that?" she seemed to point right out of the crystal ball at Keldorn, who blushed further, and Jan, who bit his fingernails anxiously.
"Huh?" Jarek poked his head up from beneath the sheets. "Why, Bucki dear, that's just a wizard eye...wizard eye!" Jarek followed her gaze right out of the ball. "Bloody hell! Can't you chaps see I'm still busy wrapping up the mission?"
Jan chuckled and elbowed Keldorn lightly in the ribs, "Looks more like he's unwrapped it to me!"
The inquisitor slapped his own forehead and groaned. "You're even worse that 007, Q."
In the image, Jarek continued, "Don't worry Bucki, I can fix this.let me just get my rod here."
"By all means, Mr. Bond! By all means," Bucki arched an eyebrow seductively and grinned.
Jarek reached under the sheets and pulled out some sort of wand, then pointed it straight at Jan, who screeched, "Aiee! It's a rod of dispelling!"
The staff flashed in Jarek's hand, and then the crystal ball went dark.
A second later the ball flashed the text message, 'WARNING: DISPEL MAGIC DETECTED, SPELL_IMMUNITY_ABJURATION NOT FOUND. THIS CANTRIP HAS BEEN DISPELLED AND MUST BE RECAST."
"Aieee!! It crashed again!" Jan yelped. "Curse you, Billygoats, may your turnips ever rot!" He started frantically mashing buttons on the pedestal, to no avail.
Keldorn merely chuckled, "Over and out, 007. See you next mission."
**********
17 FLAMERULE 1800 ATHKATLA - THE RADIANT HEART
"You WHAT!?!?!?!?!" echoed throughout the main floor of the Radiant Heart.
"You heard what Sir Delryn said, Puritus," Keldorn Firecam spoke up, and Anomen breathed a sigh of relief. "It would seem that Torm's will was made perfectly clear in this matter, if your son and his mates are fallen."
"My son isn't fallen, he's DEAD!" screamed Sir Puritus Pontius Pilatus IV, High Watcher and Priest of Helm and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart, his fat face turning beet red and veins becoming visible on his balding scalp.
"By his own doing, it would seem, not even by Onyx's blade," the aged inquisitor replied calmly. "We mourn his loss, but the blame lies squarely on his own head. "
Anomen spoke up, "I regret it too, as did Onyx. Judas and Adonis, whom he spared, do still live."
A new wave of anger washed over Puritus's face. "Then why haven't Sir Iscarias and Sir Narcissus reported back too, Delryn?" he demanded.
The younger Helmite politely answered, "We spoke with them after the skirmish. Onyx was quite kind and amicable, and he forgave and befriended them. They took his advice to go on a long journey and quest of atonement; east towards Rasheman I think. Onyx mentioned something about a 'reverse- dejemma' I didn't quite get. It will be a long time before we see them again, I think, but if and when they return I'm sure it will be in their gods' favor."
Keldorn nodded approvingly. "And maybe sporting purple tattoos on their foreheads," he chuckled, scratching his neatly trimmed snowy goatee.
Puritus grew livid and turned towards the inquisitor. "How can you laugh at a time like this? Just because you have the rank and station of a knight half your age doesn't give you leave to go flaunting my authority! Watch it, or I'll demote you to a rank befitting a knight a third your age!"
Keldorn bit his lip and looked down, but Anomen spoke up. "Speaking of rules and ranks, Sir Pilatus, Onyx asked me to read you a message." The priest took an envelope out of a belt-pouch, opened it, and pulled out and unfolded a letter. "ahem..."
"Sir Puritus Pontius Pilatus:
Greetings, it is Sir Onyx (or perhaps just 'Onyx' now?). If you're hearing this, then thank Anomen for me for delivering it, and I assume he's already told you how your little 'arrest' (or perhaps 'ambush and assassination attempt' would be more apt?) turned out.
First, you have my condolences on the loss of your son. He did quite literally earn his own death, but he didn't deserve it, and you do not deserve the loss of your only child. He fell six stories after missing his mark (my spine) in a backstabbing lunge, and I'd have resurrected him myself, but as the saying goes, all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put him back together again.
Second, Judas Iscarias and Adonis Narcissus, on the other hand, are fallen but alive and well, and currently embarking on a journey, spiritually towards enlightenment and geographically towards Rasheman. My close friend and ally Minsc, a ranger and Rashemani native, has prepared them well for their dejemma with maps and lore. I'm sure they will emerge reborn as truer paladins than ever they were, though whether we see them again, and whether they end up as heroes of Amn or of Rasheman, only time will tell.
Third, despite the 'failure' of his mission, Anomen Delryn should be if anything commended, for strength and skill both martial and moral. I realize that you won't value my opinion, and that it's not from a senior Order member (or perhaps you've bothered with the committees and paperwork to declare me not one at all), but the fact remains true.
Fourth, speaking of ranks and membership and such, while we couldn't reassemble your son, I did find some interesting documents upon his person (well, upon his left forearm anyway; up the same sleeve as his dagger) that seemed to pertain to your personal finances, and the Order's. Funny thing is, I had a lot of trouble figuring out which were which, as there was alot of crossover. Now, I'm no accountant, but I'm pretty sure that Order funds don't cover 500 GP armor polishing and therapeutic chiropractory at the Copper Coronet. Nor would I expect such pricing at the Coronet, although I seem to recall hearing that said establishment offers certain other services for about those fees. There's also the 'equipment' purchased from vendors I had thought only sold jewelry (I suspect these expenses are related to the last ones?), and a few other curious items in the same vein in these. I figured the Order brass would have more use for these than myself, so I sent them back south with Anomen, who should have delivered the papers to Keldorn Firecam before reading you this (and just in case they don't survive the journey, my fiancé has made magical copies that I'll bring next time I'm in town).
Fifth, and speaking of me being in town, I will be soon, and am prepared to face a hearing if the brass requests it. But I'm not coming now, and when I do am prepared to sue that your previous order was illegal and unjust; as (1) the charges against me merit no more than expulsion by precedent, for which an arrest need not (and cannot) be made, (2) multiple senior officials must approve such an order; and Keldorn's, being under your duress as Anomen will testify, is void, (3) Above point voids your authority as well.
Sixth, I have other duties, to my true love, that are long overdue. With all due respect, Sir Puritus IV, I know enough about your field experience, or lack thereof, to know that you have no idea what I've been through, or put her through, and right now betraying my promises and duty to her would be far more of a dishonor than disobeying you, which in light of above is no dishonor at all.
Seventh, Sir Puritus IV, fuck you and the warhorse you never rode in on.
That about sums it up. Have a nice day. (
-Onyx"
A stony silence fell over the room after Anomen finished reading.
"Sir Delryn did indeed deliver said papers," Keldorn told Puritus, nodding towards the young knight, "And I have already handed them over to the Order brass."
Puritus was the color of blood. "You..lies! Lies and outrage!" he shrieked in terror. "The cavalier outlaw is doing this to distract from his own wrongdoings and undermine the credibility of those seeking to bring him to justice."
"A convenient confluence of motives on the lad's part, perhaps," the old knight admitted, "But given such documents, I suspect he'd be interesting in bringing you to justice regardless."
"They are forgeries and lies!" Puritus stood and screamed, his spittle raining upon the other two's faces and getting caught in their black and white goatees, "He had his foul witch conjure them from thin air! Why, he practically admitted it in the letter!"
The old inquisitor sighed, wiping the spit off his face. "I've seen and investigated enough deceitful magery in my time to know that copying a document is a pale shadow of the skill required to outright conjure an original one, especially bearing the signature and handwriting of someone - you - which he wouldn't know."
"He.altered them, obviously!" the elder Helmite cried, his eyes flashing about desperately. "His little sorceress doctored them!"
"My eyes saw no such traces, magical or practical," Keldorn replied calmly, "As we speak, the other senior inquisitors are confirming my forensics."
"And I'm sure they will find that the invoices are legitimate nonetheless!" Puritus babbled eagerly.
"Odd that you would claim both that they false, and that they are legitimate," Keldorn scratched his bearded chin with mock thoughtfulness. "For if they are false, then you have never seen them and could not possibly know such a thing."
Puritus began to sputter and stammer, but before he got out a coherent word, heavy footsteps sounded outside the closed door of the office, and then heavy knocks sounded upon it. Anomen took the liberty of opening the door, to find two burly and heavily armored paladins in the hallway.
"Sir Puritus Pontius Pilatus IV," one stated gruffly, staring across the office at the fat priest, "come with us, please."
"Well now, Anomen," Keldorn chuckled to the younger Helmite as the elder one was led away, "I'll bet you never expected your first mission as a full Order knight would turn out quite like that."
"Not in my wildest dreams, sir," the priest sighed with the relief of someone who has just finished a long race, as he and the inquisitor left the office.
"In your career," Keldorn began as they strode across the main hall of the Order, "I think you will find what I have: that things often are not what they first seem; you'll find friends where you expect enemies and enemies where you expect friends, and dangers are to be found on both sides of the line, and the ability to see clearly is oft more important than that to strike true."
"I understand its importance, but still it proves difficult at times," Anomen sighed as he followed Keldorn into his office.
"I thought I had it pretty much all figured out," Keldorn admitted as he sat down behind his desk and gestured for the Helmite to take a seat, "But things are weighing upon my mind now, and this issue is far from resolved. Even if the arrest were to be found wrongful, Onyx couldn't have known that when he resisted; and I think technically remains insubordinate."
Anomen glanced at the ceiling and scratched his goatee before answering, "Well, his first point on that issue he could have deduced on the fly, and he did flatly say before the skirmish that he suspected the other two, based on the first."
"Suspicion does not merit disobedience," Keldorn replied calmly, "And reasoning from just precedent is not his place; the exact guidelines on arrests will have to be looked at. Whichever side of the fine line the coin falls on though, I can't say I like his attitude. And that letter? He has demonstrated to me once again that he is brash and arrogant, and this time I can't put the blame on his sire's taint. I image some form of censure will be in order, but hopefully he will learn something from it, and I mean to tell him a few things myself. There are a few things the lad is overlooking, I think."
"Firstly, there is great value in obeying conventions, even if they may seem slightly hamhanded for the situation. It is a way of acknowledging limitations of one's own judgment and trusting in that of others, which is the entire reason we're here. If he - or you - ran solely on his mere 21 years of experience and heeded not the Order, whose live members have hundreds of combined years of experience, and whose rules are based on thousands, his decision making will be the less for it."
"Secondly, it makes him unpredictable, and how can the Order possible wage battles effectively if its operatives behave like that? It's as if each of your arms decided for itself what best to do; you'd never get anything done!"
"Third, there is the epidemic and escalation issue. Cavalier behavior on his part might encourage it in other recruits; and worse still, his underhanded field tactics might, if more public, encourage our enemies to fight dirtier themselves. And is anyone better off then? It's true, Anomen, that we seem to fight with one hand tied behind our back sometimes, but that is part of what we're fighting for; lest we descend to the level of what we claim to oppose."
"But he did win the fight, and I'd hate to think of what might have happened if the Chaos Circus and the Jeweler's slaving cartel had remained intact. Nay, on second thought, I know - the slaving would have continued, as it did while we and the Harpers tried for years to nail the Jeweler. Soon the expansion-hungry Zhentarim will grow to fill the slave-market void, and the battle will rage on, but the circus's captives are free and some untold number will have been spared the horrors of enslavement thanks to your actions, Anomen, and that of Onyx and the rest. There's a certain irony - his attitude and decision-making seem selfish, in a way, and yet his actions have been quite altruistic - doing what he did to find and fight the Jeweler nearly cost him his life at the Order's very hands, not to mention the Jeweler's, and may yet cost him, all for the freedom of people he's never met. But as good as his intentions may have been, we all know what the road to the hells is paved with, as there will yet be a reckoning - but hopefully a peaceful one this time, which he will learn from."
"But I've talked your ear off enough for one afternoon, my lad. Let's call it a day. And what a day it was! Good work, Anomen, and thanks for listening to an old proselytizer." With that he get up from the desk and began to walk with Anomen out of his office.
"Thank [i]you[/i], sir," Anomen smiled as they strode out the great front doors of the Order, "Words any mentor or father would be wise to give."
"Yes," Keldorn agreed, with a distant look in your eye, as they stood upon the bridges of the temple district. "The sort of words I suspect your father never gave you," he young priest's sad gaze answered his question, "And the sort of words I have neglected to give my own wife and son. If you'll excuse me, Sir Delryn, the day wanes, and tonight Onyx shan't be the only one spending time with loved ones."
Anomen smiled as Keldorn turned towards his home, and looked out, wondering where he should go, to what family. To the unkempt house of his drunkard father? No. To the lonely grave of his slain sister? No. He began to trudge along, through the darkness and the rain. He soon came by the Temple of Helm, and thinking to go in and pray, turned towards the doors. Before he could take a step off the main path, the bright glint of the Temple of Lathander, even in the darkness and out of the corner of his eye, caught his attention and he turned idly. His attention was then turned to the voices of four figures up ahead. Mere silhouettes they were in the darkness, but each tall and feminine.
"Like, omigod, that was totally the thing to do! I feel like, soooo refreshed!" laughed one of the shadows.
"Right on, Buffy, I haven't felt so good in ages. I'm glad they could get rid of my purple hair dye!" a second laughed sheepishly.
"Oh, of course, little sister!" sang a third woman, "As well as the Temple of Lathander can cleanse the soul, the Morninglord's Spa can the body!" The others giggled, but Anomen thought he recognized this voice, warm and musical. Dawn-whats-her-name from the chapel in Nashkel, Anomen realized, that friend of Father Optus's. "Even you must feel at ease now, my quiet elf-friend."
"I suppose so, Dawn," sighed the fourth voice, and Anomen's heart nearly leapt into his throat as the voice of Arra Flyte filled his ears. "Thanks gals. I haven't had this much fun in a long time."
"Anytime," laughed the voice of Dawn. "Now, girls, back to my place for drinks and dinner?"
"Thanks again," sighed the elven voice, "But I.really should be getting back to the Harpers."
"Let us accompany you to the docks then, Arra," Dawn insisted, "'Tis a dangerous place, even for one as streetwise as you."
"Aw, thanks, but I'll be fine," Arra sighed. One of the four figures separated from the rest, coming towards Anomen even as the other three turned away.
The Helmite felt within himself mixed urges to run toward her and flee away, and before he knew it the figure was near him.
"Lady Arra! Lady Arra!" he called out, unable to think of anything better to say.
"Who wants to kn- Anomen?" the elf asked in disbelief, peaking out from under her green hood.
"Yes! It is I!" he answered. "It's.good to see you again."
"And y-.no! You deserter! What are you doing here? Guarding the temples from the raindrops?" she asked acidly.
"I was just coming from the Order after - well, it's a long story, as I'm sure yours is - but - well, shouldn't we get out of the rain first? I haven't supped yet; you?" Anomen rambled, unable to compose himself better.
"No so fast, Helmite," the elven Harper hissed, drawing back into her hood, "You." she leaned toward him, and his heart leapt briefly, "..JERK!!!!" his heart fell again as she slapped him hard across the face, with the might of the great warrior that she was, and the knight barely kept his feet. "You just left me! And the mission! And you called me a.a witch! No one calls me a witch!"
"Arra, I." already shaken from his slap, Anomen dropped to one knee and wrung his hands up at her. "I want to apologize. I told you in Beregost I'd have nothing more to do with you until you saw the light, but..it is I who needed the enlightenment. I'm truly sorry, and I hope but do not expect that you can forgive me. I crossed paths again with some of the others in Candlekeep and - ah, there is so much to tell."
Arra sighed and peeked out from under her hood again. "Well," she began with a softer voice, "I suppose, as a tactical matter at least, we should exchange accounts; after all this entire mission was a joint operation between the Harpers and the Order." [i]And I have already seen one agent and knight, nearly brought together by this mission, push themselves apart again..well now, miss Arra Flyte 006, is that what you want to do with yourself now here? Or is there good reason the druid and her cavalier weren't meant to be together? Is that where the story ends? No, this is my story now, and that's the beginning.[/i]
"And, knight," she spoke aloud again, "You could truly apologize by proving to me that your company can be bearable again," she laughed teasingly and reached out a hand.
The kneeling knight lightly took and kissed it as he rose to his feet. "Well, pleasant even," she giggled in spite of herself, taking the man's arm as he offered it.
"Come then, my lady," Anomen smiled broadly, making a moderately successful attempt to suppress the true extent of his grin, "Let us to elsewhere; you are cold and wet."
[i]Wet, yes; cold, no,[/i] she thought as she looked up into the rain, and leaned snugly against him as they walked away arm in arm.
**********
17 FLAMERULE 1900 CANDLEKEEP
"Might I join you in watching a sunset so beautiful, milady?"
Nalia de'Arnise spun around in a moment of shock, the voice right behind her even though she'd heard no one approach. Her back now to the westward windows of Candlekeep library's sixth floor, her look of shock melted to one of glee as she saw it was Valygar Corthala who had approached so silently behind her.
"Forgive me, Nalia," he cracked a smile, "I did not mean to surprise you. Walking quietly becomes a habit, as I suppose you know."
"Yes, but a pleasant surprise is a welcome one," she giggled, looking up into his dark eyes. "Please do join me."
The stalker nodded, and walked up beside her, and she turned again to join him in looking out to sea, into which the sun now dipped. "It is good to have the mission over and done," he said, "And to once again see you, and Imoen and Aerie," he added hastily and averted his eyes.
"Likewise," the mage smiled, "To see you; and Onyx and Minsc. What of Jaheira?"
"She...went her on way," Valygar sighed, "To where, we do not know."
"That's...well enough, but I'm glad the rest of you are back," Nalia smiled up at him, "I was worried. I should have gone with you. We all should have."
"All's well that ends well, but your company would have been desirable," he nodded while looking out to sea. "With your power and all."
"Oh, so Valygar Corthala is warming up to having mages about, is he?" Nalia teased him.
The stalker smiled sheepishly, and were his skin any lighter, his blush would have been apparent. "I...think that you - and your friends - have softened my regard for magic," he flashed a pearly grin down at her, and as he took a deep breath a look that showed both calm and vigor crossed his face. "Well, not softened....heh, warmed?" Nalia bit her tongue to suppress a smile as she realized he must have just inhaled the perfume she and Aerie had concocted - which just happened to be laced with an enchantment or two.
"I regret the separation for your sake too, Nalia," Valygar continued at length, "In light of the attempt on your life. I'm so glad you're okay, and I apologize that the rest of us weren't there."
"If I'd come with you, it would have been averted," Nalia frowned pensively. "Well, all's well that end's well, right?"
"The assassins would have been awaiting your return, I'm sure," Valygar looked crossly out to sea, his thumb and forefinger pressed as if around a drawn arrow. "And there may yet be more."
"I have worried about this," Nalia stared downwards unhappily, then up to the stalker with a look of hope. "It's nice the way Aerie has her own bodyguard and all."
Valygar looked down at her with a serious but compassionate gaze, and nodded with understanding. "I imagine we both suspect the source of this lies in Athkatla, and the peril will be greater when we return. If you would have it, I shall be your sworn protector, and the Sphere your stronghold as well as mine."
Nalia's face lit up before being creased again with concern. "Thank you so much, Val! But...you are still yourself a hunted man in the City of Coin, and I will understand if you do not wish to linger there. But if you will be my bodyguard, I too shall be yours, and help you clear your name, as a priority before my estate, or politics."
"The Cowled Wizards and the Council of Six both are in need of much reform," Valygar looked down at her caringly, "And I suspect before the end of things, we shall find our pursuits entwined."
He lay a hand upon the windowsill, millimeters from hers, and she agreed, "Entwined...yes, we shall."
**********
The other end of the sixth floor of the library was dead quiet, except for some furtive sighing and kissing sounds coming from a dark corner.
"Hee hee!" giggled a soft soprano voice. "Looks like our perfume is doing the trick!"
"Oh yeah!" chuckled a baritone counterpart in between miscellaneous noises. "Not that it's necess- wait, 'our'? Uh, I'm not wearing any!"
"Well, you practically are now! But I meant Nalia and I invented it."
"Ahhhh...so that's why it's so nice. I would almost swear it were magical!"
"Oh, it is, my love, we engineered it to work despite your charm-immunity; as well as Val's."
".That's just his armor."
".Which I'd suspect, unfortunately, he for one is still wearing. Now you, my dear, on the other hand....mmmm, you should have been a kensai!"
"Heh! I don't suppose I could convince you to start wearing tighter robes?"
"I would, but what robes? You already took care of those!"
"Ah, yes..well now I'll TAKE CARE OF YOU!! HA HA."
"Ooooooo! I'm.I'm so happy, my love! I feel like I'm going to burst."
"Me too..heh heh.."
"Oh!...My true love, I don't want to ever worry about you again, or you about me, promise me we'll always be together."
"Of course, my love. 'Til death do.."
"No! Don't say that. I know what you're thinking, my love, but Im and Nal and I aren't going to let that happen. Just promise me. Please."
"I love you, Aerie. Forever."
**********
Meanwhile, through the ceiling and on the roof above, Minsc sat on the stones of the top spire, with Imoen cradled cozily in his arms and lap, and two large hamsters and a half-dozen baby ones in her lap.
"Ya know, Minscy, I used to love to come up here," Imoen looked longingly out the sea, into which the sun had set out of a clear sky. "I guess cuz no one else did - or could! This was my secret place to sneak up to."
"Who would have guessed that mighty Minsc would be able to get up here!.Unless of course, evil were up here, and Minsc needed very badly to kick its butt back down six stories."
"Well, Minscy, I kinda helped you with a little telekinesis."
"Ooh! Imoen is very clever, isn't she Boo?"
"Heya, thanks. Ya know, I'm really glad I have ya to talk to. Somehow, it's so nice that Onyx and I are finally back, but.it's just not the same."
"Have no fear, Imoen! Onyx will spend more time with his sister very soon, Minsc will see to that! He will kick your brother over to you with his great boot, and Boo will hop into his armor and nibble until he sits down with Immy and hugs her many times and.."
"Hee hee! Thanks, Minsc, but it's okay. It's more just that.well, I'm just not the same girl I once was.the one you yourself once knew.I got back my life, and my soul, but my innocence is gone forever."
"Poor Imoen, yes, Minsc has seen this and it makes him very sad that there are such evil men that they would hurt such a sweet girl.but if Minsc had never lost his innocence, we would never have become such great stompers and biters of evil, would be Boo?" A valiant squeak answered from the ranger's pocket.
"That's the weird thing, and that's the nature of [i]why[/i] you can never get it back I think," Imoen sighed, and snuggled into Minsc's shoulder, "Because even if I could, would I want to?"
*********
Back down on the fifth floor of the library, in a cozy office stuffed with books, sat at a desk a young woman, adorned in the priestly vestments of Oghma, looking beautiful but sad. She had cleared her usually-cluttered desk of all save a few old pieces of paper; each a letter, addressed to her, and written in large, boyish, and nearly illegible handwriting, each beginning with some variation of "dear Phlydia," "dearest Phyldia," "beloved Phyldia," and ending with some variation of "Love, Onyx," "Yours, Onyx," "Always, Onyx."
[i]Always indeed,[/i] she thought, and her mind wandered.
[i]"Here Phlyd! 'The History of Halruaa,' wasn't this one of yours?"
"Oh thank you! I'll try not to lose it yet again, hee hee! *peck*."
"No trouble at all, lovely Phyldia."
"Quit it! You're making me blush. Won't you stay awhile? I was just reading 'The Dead Three' - it's about how Bane, Myrkul, and Bhaal came to power, and how they eventually died and - well, I was just reading it here behind the haystacks and you could join me, I loving reading to you and..."
"Aw, c'mon Phlyd, what relevance could old history and dead gods possibly have to us here and now!"
"Well, we don't have to read, you know..."
"I'd - *smooch* - love to join you, but Gorion has summoned me. Sorry."
"What? But you already did all your chores! And even my very own knight in shining armor has to take a break from training at least one day a week!"
"It's...not that. I didn't just come by just to return your book. Imoen seemed to know what old Gorion was up to and...well, I think he wants me to leave."
"Leave! It's your day off! Are the summer kobold-sightings beginning already?"
"No, no, I think he wants me to leave Candlekeep. And I don't know for how long."
"WHAT!?"
"I don't understand it myself...there were two men in town trying to kill me, Phyldia; they are slain, but now Gorion says I'm not safe here, I have to go."
"Oh no, no, no! But...why would anyone...that makes no sense, you're so good...why...why..."
"I wish I knew. Maybe Gorion and I will figure it out. But I have to go now."
"NO! You can't just...abandon me...what if you get killed! How can you not be safe in Candlekeep of all places!"
"I'm sorry, Phyldia...but I'm not safe here, and I'd put you in jeopardy too if I stayed, so I must leave you for now.I won't abandon you...I love you, and I'm going to return as soon as I can."
"Promise me this isn't the end!"
"I know this looks like how a story might end, but it really isn't. This is how one begins."[/i]
16 FLAMERULE 1600 ATHKATLA - JANSEN RESIDENCE
"Come in, 007, come in."
Jan Jansen was sitting hunched over a little stool, staring at a desk, on which sat a crystal ball, mounted on a metal pedestal with many buttons that the gnome was pushing rapidly as he spoke. Behind him stood a white-haired knight, arms crossed impatiently.
"Why isn't he responding, Q?" the elderly armored man grumbled. "He's right there, isn't he?"
"Well yeah, I've got my wizard eye right on him. But, eh, well, you know Keldie," Jan chuckled, waving his stubby arms around, "He's eh.busy."
"By the tonsils of Torm!" Keldorn exclaimed. "He should have been back days ago! Let me see that."
Keldorn stooped down over the desk and looked at the crystal ball; and couldn't help noticing that the pedestal had "J.S.M.: Jansen Scrying Machines" engraved along the side. The inquisitor peered into the ball itself, and his goateed jaw nearly hit the desk.
The image was of some sort of luxurious inn room, and focused on a bed, out of which a gaggle of limbs were sticking haphazardly in every direction; some thicker, tanned ones, and some thinner, paler ones with purple nails.
Keldorn hastily looked away from the crystal ball as his scarred cheeks reddened, but Jan laughed, "Dontcha worry, big guy. Ain't checkin' in on 007 your duty or somethin'?"
The aged inquisitor sighed uneasily. "Q, why do I get the feeling that your little 'J.S.M.' device has seen this sort of thing before?"
The gnome chuckled, "Well, you see, it all started back when my great- uncles Billygoats Jansen and Hugo Hefsen got together. 'Bill' had this scrying invention called Wizard Windows for the World Wide Weave, and 'Hugh' had this illustrated circular called Playgnome, and so they formed a joint entrepreneurial venture to."
"Eh, I think I get the gist," Keldorn hooked a long index finger in his armor collar nervously.
"Hey look, Keldo!" Jan pointed a hairy finger at the ball.
A smugly grinning female face with long purple hair popped up from underneath the white sheets. The woman exhaled contentedly, giggled, and then looked around. She spotted and grabbed a martini glass, but before she'd gotten it to her purple lips, her eyes flicked around, and then stopped, looking straight back out of the crystal ball.
"Jarek..what is that?" she seemed to point right out of the crystal ball at Keldorn, who blushed further, and Jan, who bit his fingernails anxiously.
"Huh?" Jarek poked his head up from beneath the sheets. "Why, Bucki dear, that's just a wizard eye...wizard eye!" Jarek followed her gaze right out of the ball. "Bloody hell! Can't you chaps see I'm still busy wrapping up the mission?"
Jan chuckled and elbowed Keldorn lightly in the ribs, "Looks more like he's unwrapped it to me!"
The inquisitor slapped his own forehead and groaned. "You're even worse that 007, Q."
In the image, Jarek continued, "Don't worry Bucki, I can fix this.let me just get my rod here."
"By all means, Mr. Bond! By all means," Bucki arched an eyebrow seductively and grinned.
Jarek reached under the sheets and pulled out some sort of wand, then pointed it straight at Jan, who screeched, "Aiee! It's a rod of dispelling!"
The staff flashed in Jarek's hand, and then the crystal ball went dark.
A second later the ball flashed the text message, 'WARNING: DISPEL MAGIC DETECTED, SPELL_IMMUNITY_ABJURATION NOT FOUND. THIS CANTRIP HAS BEEN DISPELLED AND MUST BE RECAST."
"Aieee!! It crashed again!" Jan yelped. "Curse you, Billygoats, may your turnips ever rot!" He started frantically mashing buttons on the pedestal, to no avail.
Keldorn merely chuckled, "Over and out, 007. See you next mission."
**********
17 FLAMERULE 1800 ATHKATLA - THE RADIANT HEART
"You WHAT!?!?!?!?!" echoed throughout the main floor of the Radiant Heart.
"You heard what Sir Delryn said, Puritus," Keldorn Firecam spoke up, and Anomen breathed a sigh of relief. "It would seem that Torm's will was made perfectly clear in this matter, if your son and his mates are fallen."
"My son isn't fallen, he's DEAD!" screamed Sir Puritus Pontius Pilatus IV, High Watcher and Priest of Helm and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart, his fat face turning beet red and veins becoming visible on his balding scalp.
"By his own doing, it would seem, not even by Onyx's blade," the aged inquisitor replied calmly. "We mourn his loss, but the blame lies squarely on his own head. "
Anomen spoke up, "I regret it too, as did Onyx. Judas and Adonis, whom he spared, do still live."
A new wave of anger washed over Puritus's face. "Then why haven't Sir Iscarias and Sir Narcissus reported back too, Delryn?" he demanded.
The younger Helmite politely answered, "We spoke with them after the skirmish. Onyx was quite kind and amicable, and he forgave and befriended them. They took his advice to go on a long journey and quest of atonement; east towards Rasheman I think. Onyx mentioned something about a 'reverse- dejemma' I didn't quite get. It will be a long time before we see them again, I think, but if and when they return I'm sure it will be in their gods' favor."
Keldorn nodded approvingly. "And maybe sporting purple tattoos on their foreheads," he chuckled, scratching his neatly trimmed snowy goatee.
Puritus grew livid and turned towards the inquisitor. "How can you laugh at a time like this? Just because you have the rank and station of a knight half your age doesn't give you leave to go flaunting my authority! Watch it, or I'll demote you to a rank befitting a knight a third your age!"
Keldorn bit his lip and looked down, but Anomen spoke up. "Speaking of rules and ranks, Sir Pilatus, Onyx asked me to read you a message." The priest took an envelope out of a belt-pouch, opened it, and pulled out and unfolded a letter. "ahem..."
"Sir Puritus Pontius Pilatus:
Greetings, it is Sir Onyx (or perhaps just 'Onyx' now?). If you're hearing this, then thank Anomen for me for delivering it, and I assume he's already told you how your little 'arrest' (or perhaps 'ambush and assassination attempt' would be more apt?) turned out.
First, you have my condolences on the loss of your son. He did quite literally earn his own death, but he didn't deserve it, and you do not deserve the loss of your only child. He fell six stories after missing his mark (my spine) in a backstabbing lunge, and I'd have resurrected him myself, but as the saying goes, all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put him back together again.
Second, Judas Iscarias and Adonis Narcissus, on the other hand, are fallen but alive and well, and currently embarking on a journey, spiritually towards enlightenment and geographically towards Rasheman. My close friend and ally Minsc, a ranger and Rashemani native, has prepared them well for their dejemma with maps and lore. I'm sure they will emerge reborn as truer paladins than ever they were, though whether we see them again, and whether they end up as heroes of Amn or of Rasheman, only time will tell.
Third, despite the 'failure' of his mission, Anomen Delryn should be if anything commended, for strength and skill both martial and moral. I realize that you won't value my opinion, and that it's not from a senior Order member (or perhaps you've bothered with the committees and paperwork to declare me not one at all), but the fact remains true.
Fourth, speaking of ranks and membership and such, while we couldn't reassemble your son, I did find some interesting documents upon his person (well, upon his left forearm anyway; up the same sleeve as his dagger) that seemed to pertain to your personal finances, and the Order's. Funny thing is, I had a lot of trouble figuring out which were which, as there was alot of crossover. Now, I'm no accountant, but I'm pretty sure that Order funds don't cover 500 GP armor polishing and therapeutic chiropractory at the Copper Coronet. Nor would I expect such pricing at the Coronet, although I seem to recall hearing that said establishment offers certain other services for about those fees. There's also the 'equipment' purchased from vendors I had thought only sold jewelry (I suspect these expenses are related to the last ones?), and a few other curious items in the same vein in these. I figured the Order brass would have more use for these than myself, so I sent them back south with Anomen, who should have delivered the papers to Keldorn Firecam before reading you this (and just in case they don't survive the journey, my fiancé has made magical copies that I'll bring next time I'm in town).
Fifth, and speaking of me being in town, I will be soon, and am prepared to face a hearing if the brass requests it. But I'm not coming now, and when I do am prepared to sue that your previous order was illegal and unjust; as (1) the charges against me merit no more than expulsion by precedent, for which an arrest need not (and cannot) be made, (2) multiple senior officials must approve such an order; and Keldorn's, being under your duress as Anomen will testify, is void, (3) Above point voids your authority as well.
Sixth, I have other duties, to my true love, that are long overdue. With all due respect, Sir Puritus IV, I know enough about your field experience, or lack thereof, to know that you have no idea what I've been through, or put her through, and right now betraying my promises and duty to her would be far more of a dishonor than disobeying you, which in light of above is no dishonor at all.
Seventh, Sir Puritus IV, fuck you and the warhorse you never rode in on.
That about sums it up. Have a nice day. (
-Onyx"
A stony silence fell over the room after Anomen finished reading.
"Sir Delryn did indeed deliver said papers," Keldorn told Puritus, nodding towards the young knight, "And I have already handed them over to the Order brass."
Puritus was the color of blood. "You..lies! Lies and outrage!" he shrieked in terror. "The cavalier outlaw is doing this to distract from his own wrongdoings and undermine the credibility of those seeking to bring him to justice."
"A convenient confluence of motives on the lad's part, perhaps," the old knight admitted, "But given such documents, I suspect he'd be interesting in bringing you to justice regardless."
"They are forgeries and lies!" Puritus stood and screamed, his spittle raining upon the other two's faces and getting caught in their black and white goatees, "He had his foul witch conjure them from thin air! Why, he practically admitted it in the letter!"
The old inquisitor sighed, wiping the spit off his face. "I've seen and investigated enough deceitful magery in my time to know that copying a document is a pale shadow of the skill required to outright conjure an original one, especially bearing the signature and handwriting of someone - you - which he wouldn't know."
"He.altered them, obviously!" the elder Helmite cried, his eyes flashing about desperately. "His little sorceress doctored them!"
"My eyes saw no such traces, magical or practical," Keldorn replied calmly, "As we speak, the other senior inquisitors are confirming my forensics."
"And I'm sure they will find that the invoices are legitimate nonetheless!" Puritus babbled eagerly.
"Odd that you would claim both that they false, and that they are legitimate," Keldorn scratched his bearded chin with mock thoughtfulness. "For if they are false, then you have never seen them and could not possibly know such a thing."
Puritus began to sputter and stammer, but before he got out a coherent word, heavy footsteps sounded outside the closed door of the office, and then heavy knocks sounded upon it. Anomen took the liberty of opening the door, to find two burly and heavily armored paladins in the hallway.
"Sir Puritus Pontius Pilatus IV," one stated gruffly, staring across the office at the fat priest, "come with us, please."
"Well now, Anomen," Keldorn chuckled to the younger Helmite as the elder one was led away, "I'll bet you never expected your first mission as a full Order knight would turn out quite like that."
"Not in my wildest dreams, sir," the priest sighed with the relief of someone who has just finished a long race, as he and the inquisitor left the office.
"In your career," Keldorn began as they strode across the main hall of the Order, "I think you will find what I have: that things often are not what they first seem; you'll find friends where you expect enemies and enemies where you expect friends, and dangers are to be found on both sides of the line, and the ability to see clearly is oft more important than that to strike true."
"I understand its importance, but still it proves difficult at times," Anomen sighed as he followed Keldorn into his office.
"I thought I had it pretty much all figured out," Keldorn admitted as he sat down behind his desk and gestured for the Helmite to take a seat, "But things are weighing upon my mind now, and this issue is far from resolved. Even if the arrest were to be found wrongful, Onyx couldn't have known that when he resisted; and I think technically remains insubordinate."
Anomen glanced at the ceiling and scratched his goatee before answering, "Well, his first point on that issue he could have deduced on the fly, and he did flatly say before the skirmish that he suspected the other two, based on the first."
"Suspicion does not merit disobedience," Keldorn replied calmly, "And reasoning from just precedent is not his place; the exact guidelines on arrests will have to be looked at. Whichever side of the fine line the coin falls on though, I can't say I like his attitude. And that letter? He has demonstrated to me once again that he is brash and arrogant, and this time I can't put the blame on his sire's taint. I image some form of censure will be in order, but hopefully he will learn something from it, and I mean to tell him a few things myself. There are a few things the lad is overlooking, I think."
"Firstly, there is great value in obeying conventions, even if they may seem slightly hamhanded for the situation. It is a way of acknowledging limitations of one's own judgment and trusting in that of others, which is the entire reason we're here. If he - or you - ran solely on his mere 21 years of experience and heeded not the Order, whose live members have hundreds of combined years of experience, and whose rules are based on thousands, his decision making will be the less for it."
"Secondly, it makes him unpredictable, and how can the Order possible wage battles effectively if its operatives behave like that? It's as if each of your arms decided for itself what best to do; you'd never get anything done!"
"Third, there is the epidemic and escalation issue. Cavalier behavior on his part might encourage it in other recruits; and worse still, his underhanded field tactics might, if more public, encourage our enemies to fight dirtier themselves. And is anyone better off then? It's true, Anomen, that we seem to fight with one hand tied behind our back sometimes, but that is part of what we're fighting for; lest we descend to the level of what we claim to oppose."
"But he did win the fight, and I'd hate to think of what might have happened if the Chaos Circus and the Jeweler's slaving cartel had remained intact. Nay, on second thought, I know - the slaving would have continued, as it did while we and the Harpers tried for years to nail the Jeweler. Soon the expansion-hungry Zhentarim will grow to fill the slave-market void, and the battle will rage on, but the circus's captives are free and some untold number will have been spared the horrors of enslavement thanks to your actions, Anomen, and that of Onyx and the rest. There's a certain irony - his attitude and decision-making seem selfish, in a way, and yet his actions have been quite altruistic - doing what he did to find and fight the Jeweler nearly cost him his life at the Order's very hands, not to mention the Jeweler's, and may yet cost him, all for the freedom of people he's never met. But as good as his intentions may have been, we all know what the road to the hells is paved with, as there will yet be a reckoning - but hopefully a peaceful one this time, which he will learn from."
"But I've talked your ear off enough for one afternoon, my lad. Let's call it a day. And what a day it was! Good work, Anomen, and thanks for listening to an old proselytizer." With that he get up from the desk and began to walk with Anomen out of his office.
"Thank [i]you[/i], sir," Anomen smiled as they strode out the great front doors of the Order, "Words any mentor or father would be wise to give."
"Yes," Keldorn agreed, with a distant look in your eye, as they stood upon the bridges of the temple district. "The sort of words I suspect your father never gave you," he young priest's sad gaze answered his question, "And the sort of words I have neglected to give my own wife and son. If you'll excuse me, Sir Delryn, the day wanes, and tonight Onyx shan't be the only one spending time with loved ones."
Anomen smiled as Keldorn turned towards his home, and looked out, wondering where he should go, to what family. To the unkempt house of his drunkard father? No. To the lonely grave of his slain sister? No. He began to trudge along, through the darkness and the rain. He soon came by the Temple of Helm, and thinking to go in and pray, turned towards the doors. Before he could take a step off the main path, the bright glint of the Temple of Lathander, even in the darkness and out of the corner of his eye, caught his attention and he turned idly. His attention was then turned to the voices of four figures up ahead. Mere silhouettes they were in the darkness, but each tall and feminine.
"Like, omigod, that was totally the thing to do! I feel like, soooo refreshed!" laughed one of the shadows.
"Right on, Buffy, I haven't felt so good in ages. I'm glad they could get rid of my purple hair dye!" a second laughed sheepishly.
"Oh, of course, little sister!" sang a third woman, "As well as the Temple of Lathander can cleanse the soul, the Morninglord's Spa can the body!" The others giggled, but Anomen thought he recognized this voice, warm and musical. Dawn-whats-her-name from the chapel in Nashkel, Anomen realized, that friend of Father Optus's. "Even you must feel at ease now, my quiet elf-friend."
"I suppose so, Dawn," sighed the fourth voice, and Anomen's heart nearly leapt into his throat as the voice of Arra Flyte filled his ears. "Thanks gals. I haven't had this much fun in a long time."
"Anytime," laughed the voice of Dawn. "Now, girls, back to my place for drinks and dinner?"
"Thanks again," sighed the elven voice, "But I.really should be getting back to the Harpers."
"Let us accompany you to the docks then, Arra," Dawn insisted, "'Tis a dangerous place, even for one as streetwise as you."
"Aw, thanks, but I'll be fine," Arra sighed. One of the four figures separated from the rest, coming towards Anomen even as the other three turned away.
The Helmite felt within himself mixed urges to run toward her and flee away, and before he knew it the figure was near him.
"Lady Arra! Lady Arra!" he called out, unable to think of anything better to say.
"Who wants to kn- Anomen?" the elf asked in disbelief, peaking out from under her green hood.
"Yes! It is I!" he answered. "It's.good to see you again."
"And y-.no! You deserter! What are you doing here? Guarding the temples from the raindrops?" she asked acidly.
"I was just coming from the Order after - well, it's a long story, as I'm sure yours is - but - well, shouldn't we get out of the rain first? I haven't supped yet; you?" Anomen rambled, unable to compose himself better.
"No so fast, Helmite," the elven Harper hissed, drawing back into her hood, "You." she leaned toward him, and his heart leapt briefly, "..JERK!!!!" his heart fell again as she slapped him hard across the face, with the might of the great warrior that she was, and the knight barely kept his feet. "You just left me! And the mission! And you called me a.a witch! No one calls me a witch!"
"Arra, I." already shaken from his slap, Anomen dropped to one knee and wrung his hands up at her. "I want to apologize. I told you in Beregost I'd have nothing more to do with you until you saw the light, but..it is I who needed the enlightenment. I'm truly sorry, and I hope but do not expect that you can forgive me. I crossed paths again with some of the others in Candlekeep and - ah, there is so much to tell."
Arra sighed and peeked out from under her hood again. "Well," she began with a softer voice, "I suppose, as a tactical matter at least, we should exchange accounts; after all this entire mission was a joint operation between the Harpers and the Order." [i]And I have already seen one agent and knight, nearly brought together by this mission, push themselves apart again..well now, miss Arra Flyte 006, is that what you want to do with yourself now here? Or is there good reason the druid and her cavalier weren't meant to be together? Is that where the story ends? No, this is my story now, and that's the beginning.[/i]
"And, knight," she spoke aloud again, "You could truly apologize by proving to me that your company can be bearable again," she laughed teasingly and reached out a hand.
The kneeling knight lightly took and kissed it as he rose to his feet. "Well, pleasant even," she giggled in spite of herself, taking the man's arm as he offered it.
"Come then, my lady," Anomen smiled broadly, making a moderately successful attempt to suppress the true extent of his grin, "Let us to elsewhere; you are cold and wet."
[i]Wet, yes; cold, no,[/i] she thought as she looked up into the rain, and leaned snugly against him as they walked away arm in arm.
**********
17 FLAMERULE 1900 CANDLEKEEP
"Might I join you in watching a sunset so beautiful, milady?"
Nalia de'Arnise spun around in a moment of shock, the voice right behind her even though she'd heard no one approach. Her back now to the westward windows of Candlekeep library's sixth floor, her look of shock melted to one of glee as she saw it was Valygar Corthala who had approached so silently behind her.
"Forgive me, Nalia," he cracked a smile, "I did not mean to surprise you. Walking quietly becomes a habit, as I suppose you know."
"Yes, but a pleasant surprise is a welcome one," she giggled, looking up into his dark eyes. "Please do join me."
The stalker nodded, and walked up beside her, and she turned again to join him in looking out to sea, into which the sun now dipped. "It is good to have the mission over and done," he said, "And to once again see you, and Imoen and Aerie," he added hastily and averted his eyes.
"Likewise," the mage smiled, "To see you; and Onyx and Minsc. What of Jaheira?"
"She...went her on way," Valygar sighed, "To where, we do not know."
"That's...well enough, but I'm glad the rest of you are back," Nalia smiled up at him, "I was worried. I should have gone with you. We all should have."
"All's well that ends well, but your company would have been desirable," he nodded while looking out to sea. "With your power and all."
"Oh, so Valygar Corthala is warming up to having mages about, is he?" Nalia teased him.
The stalker smiled sheepishly, and were his skin any lighter, his blush would have been apparent. "I...think that you - and your friends - have softened my regard for magic," he flashed a pearly grin down at her, and as he took a deep breath a look that showed both calm and vigor crossed his face. "Well, not softened....heh, warmed?" Nalia bit her tongue to suppress a smile as she realized he must have just inhaled the perfume she and Aerie had concocted - which just happened to be laced with an enchantment or two.
"I regret the separation for your sake too, Nalia," Valygar continued at length, "In light of the attempt on your life. I'm so glad you're okay, and I apologize that the rest of us weren't there."
"If I'd come with you, it would have been averted," Nalia frowned pensively. "Well, all's well that end's well, right?"
"The assassins would have been awaiting your return, I'm sure," Valygar looked crossly out to sea, his thumb and forefinger pressed as if around a drawn arrow. "And there may yet be more."
"I have worried about this," Nalia stared downwards unhappily, then up to the stalker with a look of hope. "It's nice the way Aerie has her own bodyguard and all."
Valygar looked down at her with a serious but compassionate gaze, and nodded with understanding. "I imagine we both suspect the source of this lies in Athkatla, and the peril will be greater when we return. If you would have it, I shall be your sworn protector, and the Sphere your stronghold as well as mine."
Nalia's face lit up before being creased again with concern. "Thank you so much, Val! But...you are still yourself a hunted man in the City of Coin, and I will understand if you do not wish to linger there. But if you will be my bodyguard, I too shall be yours, and help you clear your name, as a priority before my estate, or politics."
"The Cowled Wizards and the Council of Six both are in need of much reform," Valygar looked down at her caringly, "And I suspect before the end of things, we shall find our pursuits entwined."
He lay a hand upon the windowsill, millimeters from hers, and she agreed, "Entwined...yes, we shall."
**********
The other end of the sixth floor of the library was dead quiet, except for some furtive sighing and kissing sounds coming from a dark corner.
"Hee hee!" giggled a soft soprano voice. "Looks like our perfume is doing the trick!"
"Oh yeah!" chuckled a baritone counterpart in between miscellaneous noises. "Not that it's necess- wait, 'our'? Uh, I'm not wearing any!"
"Well, you practically are now! But I meant Nalia and I invented it."
"Ahhhh...so that's why it's so nice. I would almost swear it were magical!"
"Oh, it is, my love, we engineered it to work despite your charm-immunity; as well as Val's."
".That's just his armor."
".Which I'd suspect, unfortunately, he for one is still wearing. Now you, my dear, on the other hand....mmmm, you should have been a kensai!"
"Heh! I don't suppose I could convince you to start wearing tighter robes?"
"I would, but what robes? You already took care of those!"
"Ah, yes..well now I'll TAKE CARE OF YOU!! HA HA."
"Ooooooo! I'm.I'm so happy, my love! I feel like I'm going to burst."
"Me too..heh heh.."
"Oh!...My true love, I don't want to ever worry about you again, or you about me, promise me we'll always be together."
"Of course, my love. 'Til death do.."
"No! Don't say that. I know what you're thinking, my love, but Im and Nal and I aren't going to let that happen. Just promise me. Please."
"I love you, Aerie. Forever."
**********
Meanwhile, through the ceiling and on the roof above, Minsc sat on the stones of the top spire, with Imoen cradled cozily in his arms and lap, and two large hamsters and a half-dozen baby ones in her lap.
"Ya know, Minscy, I used to love to come up here," Imoen looked longingly out the sea, into which the sun had set out of a clear sky. "I guess cuz no one else did - or could! This was my secret place to sneak up to."
"Who would have guessed that mighty Minsc would be able to get up here!.Unless of course, evil were up here, and Minsc needed very badly to kick its butt back down six stories."
"Well, Minscy, I kinda helped you with a little telekinesis."
"Ooh! Imoen is very clever, isn't she Boo?"
"Heya, thanks. Ya know, I'm really glad I have ya to talk to. Somehow, it's so nice that Onyx and I are finally back, but.it's just not the same."
"Have no fear, Imoen! Onyx will spend more time with his sister very soon, Minsc will see to that! He will kick your brother over to you with his great boot, and Boo will hop into his armor and nibble until he sits down with Immy and hugs her many times and.."
"Hee hee! Thanks, Minsc, but it's okay. It's more just that.well, I'm just not the same girl I once was.the one you yourself once knew.I got back my life, and my soul, but my innocence is gone forever."
"Poor Imoen, yes, Minsc has seen this and it makes him very sad that there are such evil men that they would hurt such a sweet girl.but if Minsc had never lost his innocence, we would never have become such great stompers and biters of evil, would be Boo?" A valiant squeak answered from the ranger's pocket.
"That's the weird thing, and that's the nature of [i]why[/i] you can never get it back I think," Imoen sighed, and snuggled into Minsc's shoulder, "Because even if I could, would I want to?"
*********
Back down on the fifth floor of the library, in a cozy office stuffed with books, sat at a desk a young woman, adorned in the priestly vestments of Oghma, looking beautiful but sad. She had cleared her usually-cluttered desk of all save a few old pieces of paper; each a letter, addressed to her, and written in large, boyish, and nearly illegible handwriting, each beginning with some variation of "dear Phlydia," "dearest Phyldia," "beloved Phyldia," and ending with some variation of "Love, Onyx," "Yours, Onyx," "Always, Onyx."
[i]Always indeed,[/i] she thought, and her mind wandered.
[i]"Here Phlyd! 'The History of Halruaa,' wasn't this one of yours?"
"Oh thank you! I'll try not to lose it yet again, hee hee! *peck*."
"No trouble at all, lovely Phyldia."
"Quit it! You're making me blush. Won't you stay awhile? I was just reading 'The Dead Three' - it's about how Bane, Myrkul, and Bhaal came to power, and how they eventually died and - well, I was just reading it here behind the haystacks and you could join me, I loving reading to you and..."
"Aw, c'mon Phlyd, what relevance could old history and dead gods possibly have to us here and now!"
"Well, we don't have to read, you know..."
"I'd - *smooch* - love to join you, but Gorion has summoned me. Sorry."
"What? But you already did all your chores! And even my very own knight in shining armor has to take a break from training at least one day a week!"
"It's...not that. I didn't just come by just to return your book. Imoen seemed to know what old Gorion was up to and...well, I think he wants me to leave."
"Leave! It's your day off! Are the summer kobold-sightings beginning already?"
"No, no, I think he wants me to leave Candlekeep. And I don't know for how long."
"WHAT!?"
"I don't understand it myself...there were two men in town trying to kill me, Phyldia; they are slain, but now Gorion says I'm not safe here, I have to go."
"Oh no, no, no! But...why would anyone...that makes no sense, you're so good...why...why..."
"I wish I knew. Maybe Gorion and I will figure it out. But I have to go now."
"NO! You can't just...abandon me...what if you get killed! How can you not be safe in Candlekeep of all places!"
"I'm sorry, Phyldia...but I'm not safe here, and I'd put you in jeopardy too if I stayed, so I must leave you for now.I won't abandon you...I love you, and I'm going to return as soon as I can."
"Promise me this isn't the end!"
"I know this looks like how a story might end, but it really isn't. This is how one begins."[/i]