I wrote this next part as quickly as I could, trying to get it over with. I'm not very good at writing romantic stuff, and writing from Keledrial's point of view is even more difficult. Still, here it is. Note that there hints and partial descriptions of sex in this chapter, so keep in mind that while it is not incredibly graphic, they will happen and this story is rated R for a reason. I will continue to get the chapters up as fast as I type them. Enjoy.
To Arabwel, Aquila, Catspaw0913, Crazefanficboi, Raelli, and Silverwolf, thanks again! Azurielle
It would be yet another month before I had another chance to speak with her. I had been working out what I wanted to say for all that time. This, I swore to myself, would be the last time. If she could tell me that she didn't love me, that would be it, no matter what I may feel. If she doesn't love me then I know I truly have been cursed by Hanali…and I've no idea what I will do after that. It was finding the proper time, place and courage to confront Rose that was the current problem.
When the opportunity appeared, though, it came so suddenly that I was prepared…and all the things I had meant to say flew out of my head in an instant.
I hadn't been able to take reverie for some time now. I found no rest in it. So I had begun taking walks out in the forest, near the Sunstar home. I had managed to figure out the maze and all the various hindrances surrounding the area...including which creatures were real, which were not, and which were best avoided. Thus I was rarely bothered, and didn't have to worry about getting lost.
That night, I wandered close to the edge of the school. I could see lights in the windows of the buildings…more in the teachers' apartments, but no small few in the students' dormitories, either. The latter were not supposed to be there, of course, but it was hard to enforce such rules, as I understand it.
I turned away from the school and headed back into the forest. I wandered without purpose, enjoying the night as best I could. When I found myself back near the pool where once I had listened Mallorn tell his story, I half expected to see my cousin appear from the shadows of the forest. It was not Mallorn who did the appearing however. I suppose in a manner of speaking, I was the one who appeared, for the grove was not empty. I wasn't trying to be particularly quiet, thus I am not surprised that the figure standing by the water, looking down at the still reflection, turned fractionally to look as me.
"Oh…it's you," I heard the one person whom I most wished to see and speak with say so softly I almost didn't hear her. She turned back to the pool, her shoulders heaving with a sigh.
"Please go away, Lord Nightstar," she told me. For a moment I didn't reply…and in that moment I was thinking: here is my chance.
"I want to talk with you, Rose," I finally replied.
"I don't. I'm tired of talking. And whatever you have to say…it will not change anything," she remained focused on the water. My nice, clever speech…the one I had been preparing for weeks flew out of my thoughts. I couldn't think of anything to tell her, but the one thing I most meant and felt in that moment…but I wasn't about to say it to the back of her head.
"Rose," I grabbed her arms, and turned her to face me. "I am not going to give up…I love you. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" Rose would not meet my eyes, her soft black hair fell forward, over her shoulders. I wanted nothing more than to touch her, to never let her go, but I had to have an answer.
"Keledrial…we can't. We both have a duty to our families…that's not something you can just throw aside," she whispered. I slid my hand beneath her chin, and forced her to look at me.
"Rosealliale…look at me…really look at me and tell me you don't feel the same as I do. Do that, and I will never bother you again. I'll wed the damned Moonflower girl, and be miserable, if that's what you want…but you tell me the truth, or may you never know peace," I spoke harshly. She stared up at me, her violet eyes luminous in the fading light, but she did not reply.
"Damn it, Rose, answer the question! Love…love like this…it is a gift from Hanali…or perhaps a curse. It is wrong to refuse a gift from the gods. I didn't believe in love, at least not for me…not after all I've done wrong. I thought it was the stupid fancy of bards…until I met you. And by the Seldarine, I want an answer, and I want the truth! What do you feel for me? Anything? Nothing? I need to know either way!" I all but shouted at her. She looked away, but not before I saw the glisten of tears on her eyelashes. I released her, feeling sickening dread wash through me. I felt that I knew what her answer would be…and that I was a fool once more, for daring to believe that there was anyone in the world for me.
"I should have known better," I spoke harshly, more to myself than to her. I turned away, meaning to leave. I was certain I had my answer by that point. I thought to myself, once more, of the many times I had scorned the followers of Hanali and the goddess, herself. This, then, was her vengeance for my lack of belief in her. A life without love, knowing that the only person I wanted belonged to someone else. I think I would rather be dead than have to face that.
"Keledrial…" I heard her call, her voice hiding a sob. I stopped, but could not bring myself to face her, to see her pity.
" You are right…love is not a gift that the goddess grants lightly. But some gifts simply can't be accepted. I have a responsibility to my family. I am betrothed to Evyth Amarillis. I have a duty to marry him, as my family promised. Just as you have a duty to wed your betrothed."
"Why is it that people always use my…duty," I spat out the word like a curse, "to my family as a weapon against me? And why is it, I would like to know, that all the elves in the world can marry for love…a love granted to us by the goddess herself, except if they happen to have the misfortune of being born into a "noble" family?"
"With our position, comes obligations…"she began. I interrupted before she could finish.
"I have an obligation to protect my family…not spend the rest of my life in misery for them!" I yelled, turning back towards her. She stood in the middle of the clearing, her glossy, black hair reflecting the pale white light of Selune. Her violet eyes glittered, with tears or anger, I am not certain…and her hands were clenched into fists at her sides.
"Yes, to protect them," she replied, calmly. "And what good things do you suppose will happen to your family if they break a contract with the Moonflower family? Or to mine if they break with the Amarillis family? Nightstar and Silverspear are nothing compared to those two houses. Do you want your family to be shunned for such an action on your part?"
"By the Seldarine, you don't really believe that, do you? This is 1395! Maybe a long time ago something like that might have been a concern…but not now." I scoffed.
"So you believe. I cannot be so confident."
"You haven't answered my question," I reminded her. I had to know, no matter the hurt. Her gaze shot to mine, and then down again.
"You want the truth!" she stated shrilly, eyes downcast. "Fine! I don't love you! I could never love you! You're cruel, callous, racist, and arrogant. You never think about others, or how your actions affect them. I would rather wed a dwarf then you!" For a long moment, I was silent as my anger and pain rose like a black tide within me, consuming me.
"So be it," I whispered, turning away…walking away before I did or said something I would regret for the length of my days.
I made it over a mile's distance from her before I slowed my pace. I never imagined that a "broken heart" was a malady based in any reality. And the fact of the matter is, I don't not think that the term is appropriate either. For what I felt was not the breaking of my heart, but rather a horrible wrenching pain throughout my body…not a broken heart, for that at least would be a small, confined feeling…this was so much worse: the rending of my soul.
And yet, even as I felt this…a feeling so awful I can think of nothing to compare it to…my mind grasped on a single thought, and it took a moment of that one thought repeating itself over and over in my mind before I could comprehend what it meant.
She had not met my eyes.
She had said those hateful words to me, but she'd not met my eyes. I thought of the many conversations we'd had. She'd once told me that she knew when people lied, for liars tend never to meet the eyes of the one they are lying to.
She had not met my eyes.
I don't know why I went back…Corellon knows that I should not have. I don't know what I meant to say to her…especially after she had tried so hard to prove to me that she did not love me…to hurt me.
But the fact of the matter is, I went back, even as the moon was beginning its descent toward morning.
I heard her before I saw her, and the sounds made me pause for a moment, just beyond the trees where she was. Horrible sobs pierced the cool night air, sounding as though they were torn from her. I heard her plead, as she cried, plead to Hanali to take it all away, to make her numb, so that she would not have to feel the pain. I heard her whisper the same thing over and over.
"What have I done…what have I done…"
I was silent as I stepped back into the clearing, silent as I approached. But she looked up anyhow, perhaps feeling my presence.
"You lied," I informed her, feeling a calm come over me. She did not move, nor did she reply…only watched me.
"Damn it, Rosealliele Silverspear, admit that you lied to me!" I hissed, grabbing her arms. She sobbed once, as she nodded.
"Why?!" I demanded, shaking her. "Am I so terrible that you would rather suffer than be with me? Make me suffer?"
"No!" she cried. "I wanted to be with you. I've wanted it since the day I first saw you. I knew that day that I was supposed to be with you, even though I was barely past my second decade of life."
"What?" I asked. As far as I had known, the first time she'd met me had been here…at Everall.
"I watched you…through the hedges that surrounded your family's gardens. You were always reading. You never smiled…never laughed. I knew that I could bring those emotions to you. But you never looked up, never saw me. Not at court, not in Leuthilspar's streets, not even during your family parties that I came to. Then my parents died and my grandparents kept me inside…where I would be safe. By the time they allowed me back to court, and I had gotten up enough courage to try to talk to you, you were at school. And then you were gone, lost. I heard my grandparents speaking about it. They said it was better that way, because you'd been so ill. But I knew you weren't dead, just like your parents knew. After so long, though I think I started to forget. No one thought you'd ever come back. I agreed to the betrothal because I didn't think you'd come back either. Why would you? You weren't happy on Evermeet. I guess I thought that wherever you were you were happier and I felt that I could be happy knowing that. But then you came back. And you were so different from before. So angry. And just like before, you never seemed to even see me. I started to think that maybe I was mistaken, that perhaps there was nothing there…"
"There is. I was just too dense and stubborn to realize it," I interrupted.
"I love you," I told her, as serious as I have ever been about anything. She smiled through her tears, looking up at me to meet my eyes, finally.
"I know. And I have always loved you…but…"
"No. No "buts." There is nothing in this world that is important enough to come between us now," I informed her.
"Keledrial…we just can't," she tried one last time.
"Rose, you are making a very convincing argument for me to return to Evermeet and make certain that a fatal accident befalls Evyth Amarillis, should you keep this up," I warned her.
"Don't even jest about that," she stated with a gasp.
"I'm not jesting," I informed her. Before she could protest, I took her in my arms, and kissed her long, and soundly.
"Marry me," I asked her, when we broke apart.
"We can't…" she protested. I kissed her again.
"Marry me," I asked again.
"Keledrial…" I kissed her a third time.
"Marry…"
"All right!" she interrupted, breathlessly. "Just stop doing that! I can't think when you do that!"
"Don't think," I advised her. "Just feel."
We talked for a long while…until the sun began to rise. Every time she tried to let guilt rise in her, or doubt I kissed her and made her forget. Part of me wanted to seduce her, to go farther than kissing, but I recalled that she had said it was her choice to remain a virgin until she was wed. Hard as it was, quite literally I might add, I decided to respect her wishes on that topic. Not that I'll be waiting long, mind you, for I plan to marry her just as soon as I can locate a cleric of Hanali to do the job. The longer I wait, after all, the longer she has to try to change her mind, and that I can't allow. Not now.
I know that perhaps she might want a fancy noble sort of wedding…which I will make certain she has later. After all, I still have plenty of money left over from my adventuring, should we both be disowned as she seems to fear. I, for one, don't believe my parents would do such a thing. They've said time and again how they wish for my happiness. Well this is it. As for her grandparents, I couldn't say…but as I've mentioned, Rose is one of the last children of her line…I do not think they will disown her over this. They will all be very angry, most likely. That I do believe.
The past week has been one of the longest in my life…right up there with Sera's hatching. Keeping this a secret is certainly not an easy thing…especially since Sera is still barely speaking to me over her disappointment the past month. It would have been so easy to tell her and have her smile and hug me again…but I can't. Sera would have the news all over the school in a matter of hours if I told her, and until the wedding is over with, I can't let anyone find out…especially not Liralyn. My cousin has some way to contact Evermeet and the Queen, I am certain. The last thing I want is for anyone on Evermeet who might possibly be able to access a gate, trying to stop me. I hate sneaking about like this, but it has to be done.
Fortunately Tobias has sent me word by way of a sending spell that he is en route, via teleport with a priestess. They're due to arrive in Hap tomorrow night. As soon as the priestess is rested enough to do the ceremony, Rose and I will be wed. Once bound by law and by Hanali, then I don't care who knows…but until then…
I never wondered what one should wear to one's own wedding, let alone a clandestine one. True, I had seen dozens of weddings on Evermeet and even a few on Ruathym…but I had no access to the finery that would normally be found at an elven wedding, nor did I think Ruathym attire would have been appropriate either. I ended up wearing the outfit that I had worn when I took Sera to meet the Queen. It was not in pristine conditions, but a few minor cantrips fixed the few easily spotted tears and worn areas. Getting Sera dressed was more difficult as she had no intention of cooperating with me. She was in one of her moods and had to fight and be contrary at every turn. She still had no idea where we would be going as soon as the sun set, and as such, she saw no need to wear any of her nice clothing. She refused one dress after the other, and when I finally found one that met her grudging approval, she spilled cranberry juice down the front of it. In frustration, I finally told her that if she would just put on one of her dresses and keep it clean, that she would get a present when the moon came up. Bribery has always worked well with her, so she settled down, grumbling still, but cooperative at last.
It was the 15th day of Eleint.
We were to meet the priestess in the forest at the moonrise. Moon elven ceremonies often take place at such a time for obvious reasons…and in this case, it was the only time that there wouldn't be dozens of students wandering about. I'd worked all through the week between classes and at night to make Rose her ring. The band was woven with threads of platinum and gold, while the stone was a diamond that I had used magic to permanently tint a violet hue to match Rose's eyes. I slipped it into my pocket as we prepared to leave.
When Sera and I arrived at the clearing, I was a bit earlier than I'd intended to be. I was surprised to see that grove looked considerably different than it had before. Some one had taken the time to fill it with flowers, both cut and living…even some rare, blue, sky roses. Looking about for the perpetrator, I caught sight of Mallorn standing quietly in the shadows. For a moment I felt a seize of fear…had he told his sister anything…seeing as he obviously knew? But if he had, why would he have gone to the trouble?
"Don't worry, cousin," I heard him say through my mounting panic. He stepped out of the shadow of the tree, and into the fading light of the sun. His clothing was still plain, but fancier and cleaner than his usual garb.
"I couldn't help but hearing you the other night," he told me. "After all, I have been using the grove long before you and she came here. I thought, perhaps, that miss Rosealliele would like flowers for her wedding…and that you could use another witness," he informed me. My panic subsided and I felt a wash of gratitude for my half-elven cousin. After all, I certainly hadn't thought of flowers…nor of anything besides the ring and wedding Rose. I guessed that he was right in Rose desiring flowers…women are like that, after all.
Sera, at having heard what Mallorn had said picked up on the one word that mattered most to her.
"Wedding?" she studied the grove carefully, took in the nice clothing that she and I were wearing, and caught sight of Tobias leading a silver-haired moon elven priestess in full regalia, into the grove.
"Daddy? Are you getting married?" she asked me suspiciously.
"Yes," I told her.
"To Rose?!" her voiced rose to a screech-like pitch. I nodded.
"Is this my present? Oh, Daddy! Thank you! Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly… as though I had decided to marry Rose for her sake alone.
"Sera, shhh!" I shushed her, not wanting to attract to much attention. At that point, Tobias and the priestess walked up. Tobias held out his hand, and I clasped it.
"Thank you," I said to him. He shrugged.
"Not a problem. I just happened to be in the company of just the sort of priestess you were looking for," he grinned. I noticed the priestess blush slightly. Well, it was nice to know that Tobias still hadn't changed.
"Lord Nightstar," the priestess smiled at me. "I am Celena, a cleric of Hanali. It's my pleasure to be the one who shall join you and your beloved in marriage. Clandestine weddings are the best, aren't they?" she added. I nodded, not paying all that much attention as my eyes were on the tree line, waiting for Rose to appear.
For a few moments, I half expected her to not show up. I wondered if she would back out at the last minute. Then I wondered if I was doing the right thing. Should I have spoken with my parents, perhaps? Would they have understood? Did I fully understand what I was getting into? If I married Rose, after all, that would be it…the last woman I would ever hold for the rest of my days. Would she be able to cope with Sera? Would she be angry later at not having a noble-style wedding?
As the what ifs marched through my thoughts, the doubts cresting, wave after wave, I nearly missed her arrival. The sun had just set and the moon had appeared in the fading pinkish-orange sky.
A door appeared in the clearing, and Rosealliele stepped through it. Holding the hem of her dress up slightly, she walked towards us, and the door vanished. A Dimension Door spell.
She was beautiful…I don't know how better to describe her. Her long hair was swept up in some sort of crown of flowers, held off her neck and shoulders. Her dress was white…so white that it seemed to glow in the dim light. It sparkled here and there where bits of crystal had been sewn onto the skirt and bodice with silver threads. Her skin seemed luminescent as she stepped up next to me and wrapped her am around mine. I could sense that she was nervous…could feel the faint tremor of her hand against mine.
"I was afraid if I walked I'd ruin my dress," she told everyone, her free hand still tightly fisted in the material of her skirt.
"I almost didn't come," she whispered quietly to me. I leaned down a little so that my mouth was next to her ear.
"I knew you would," I replied with far more confidence than I had felt seconds earlier.
She smelled wonderful…like the Rose for which she had been named. For a moment, I wanted to skip the wedding and move directly to the wedding night. I settled for kissing the tip of her ear, seeing as my mouth was already in the area. She shuddered delicately, even as Tobias called out, in his annoying fashion,
"Here now! You're supposed to wait for that until after the vows." I straightened up, resisting the sudden urge to smack him.
"Are we ready?" Celena asked. I took a deep breath in, then nodded. A moment later Rose did likewise.
"Then let us begin," Celena said, affecting the ceremonial tone that only clerics and nobles about to make a speech…and perhaps a bard or two, seems to be able to manage.
I hardly heard a word she said after that. I repeated all words I was meant to, declared my love for Rose in the age-old fashion known as "vows." When asked if I would hold her in my heart, and love her for all time, I did not hesitate to agree…nor was there, I was pleased to note, any hesitation on her part as she replied likewise.
The ring I had crafted came out of my pocket and went on her finger…a perfect fit, as I knew it would be. I had been quite careful about taking measurements, all the while using other pretenses to have my hand on hers.
To my surprise she produced a ring from somewhere within the folds of her gown, and slid it onto my finger. It, too, was a perfect fit, and so I thought perhaps she had been even sneakier than I. The band was platinum…or maybe white gold, I couldn't tell in that light. The stone was an emerald…the color my eyes, she told me later. I could fell a tingle of magic in the metal of it, and wondered what she'd cast on it.
Finally, Celena declared that if the marriage was agreeable to both of us, than it was blessed by Hanali and so we were to be as one from that moment on. She added that if we wished to seal the vows with a kiss, Hanali would not object. I barely heard Sera's happy shouts, or Tobias' congratulations as my mouth closed over Rosealliele's for the first time as her husband.
Now, where a normal wedding would have had a long and loud party afterwards, ours was different. I felt bad that Rose had not been able to have such a thing, but there would be time later. Tobias and the priestess made their departure…Tobias adding that he'd stop by the school in a few days to see if I was still alive.
Mallorn volunteered to take Sera back to the house, assuring me that he and Liralyn and the rest of the household would keep and eye on her for as long as needed. Sera protested, naturally. She did not want to go. She wanted to stay with her new "mother." She kept saying that over and over again, as though relishing the sound of the word.
Now, as much as I love my daughter, this time there was no way in the nine hells I was letting her get her way. I wanted my wedding night, gods damn it! And my ideas for the remainder of the evening…and probably the next few days, I am not sorry to say, do not involve Sera's presence.
So while she pouted, I reminded her that I'd given her exactly the sort of "present" she'd been asking for months and that she should thank me by behaving and allowing me time to "get to know" her new mother first. Sera conceded, after a while, that it was fair. She added that her friend Rina's parents had done the same thing…leaving Rina with relatives for weeks and weeks. I vowed that we would not be gone that long, and extracted a promise of good behavior from her. Finally Mallorn departed with my daughter in tow, leaving myself and my new wife alone.
My wife. It seems strange to write it…strange to think it, and even stranger to say it. Almost as unnerving as the day I'd begun calling Sera my daughter. I wondered for a moment, if I'd made a mistake. After all, I had just bound myself to one woman for the rest of my days…maybe even longer if some of the tales of Arvandyr were to be believed. The idea scared me just a little. After all, I'm not even 110 yet. Close…but not quite. By most elven standards, I barely even qualified as an adult. And come to think of it, I'm not certain how old Rose is either.
Thus, with sudden doubts in my mind, I looked down at her, wondering if she was feeling the same thing…but then she met my gaze and smiled, and I knew with as much surety as I have ever felt, that I had not made a mistake.
Now I would like to be able to say that I was truly noble and chivalric, and that my love for Rose was so true that I didn't feel the need to make love with her to confirm it. It would have been a lie, if I said that, though. At that moment, seeing her in her wedding dress, looking so very beautiful in the rising moon light, pretty much all I could think of was that I would finally be able to have sex with Rosealliele…to make love with her.
She smiled at me, but beneath that smile, I could see that she was nervous…tense.
"Where are we going to go?" she asked. "I don't think we should go back to my rooms…or yours either for that matter…" she was starting to ramble.
"Where do you wish to go?" I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her tight up against my chest. She was warm, her hair smelled wonderful, and she felt right there…as though that was where she belonged.
"I don't care," she replied. "Somewhere nice," she then amended.
I would have liked to have taken her to Evermeet…to the finest inn to be found in Leuthilspar. Unfortunately, Doing so would require far more time than I was willing to spend. Besides, with my luck, my parents and her grandparents would have been waiting there for us, annulment papers in hand.
So I thought of the nicest inn I remembered seeing in Waterdeep. I was certain the name of it, but I had walked by it a few times during my wanderings while I lived there. From my pocket, I pulled out a scroll that I had had Joylin scribe for me. She hadn't asked why I needed it, and I didn't volunteer information. Occasionally the dwarven lack of curiosity comes in handy!
Thought I would have liked to have actually memorize the scroll and learn the spell, I decided that it would have to wait for another time. I cast the spell off the scroll, destroying the parchment in the process.
The inn that I had remembered appeared before us, my teleport spell working as it was meant to. Looking about, I could see that the street was not crowded, but it was far from empty…but that is typical of Waterdeep at night. I glanced up at the name: The Sleepy Griffin. Most inn names sand the same, I think. Down the road I happened to catch a glimpse of the Elfstone Tavern. At some point, I would have to take Rose there, but at the moment my mind was all for getting a room. Fortunately I had had enough forethought to bring a decent sized purse of coin with me, and the innkeeper handed over a key to one of his finest rooms when I paid him a few more coins than he'd been asking.
I hardly paid much attention to the room itself once we had entered it, except that it had both bath and bed, which is, as far as I am concerned are the few necessities.
I had Rose in my arms before she managed to make any comments. For once, she made not a sound of protest. Things progressed quickly from there. Our hands explored each other for what felt like hours…and probably was…until I was certain I would recognize any inch of her body, even if blinded.
Now, I could go on for ages trying to describe what it felt like to finally make love to Rosealliele. However, I am no bard and the words to do justice to what I felt are not there. I can say that all the tensions stored in me from the past months vanished; that holding her in my arms, touching her skin…it all felt more right than any other woman I've known in the past. Yet, for all the skill I may have garnered in this area during my dissolute past few decades, I felt awkward, afraid that I might do something wrong. And I felt terrible when I came into her body the first time and caught sight of her wince of pain. She actually still was a virgin, and as such I had hurt her. I immediately stilled and apologized.
"It shouldn't hurt for too long. I'm sorry Rose," I told her, uncertain of whether the statement was truthful, seeing as I can't remember ever having sex with another virgin, save one…and I am quite certain that it never stopped hurting her. I don't think I shall ever tell Rose about her, though…I don't think I could bear if she thought less of me because of what I'd done.
"I'm not," Rose replied after a moment.
"Not what?" I asked.
"Sorry. And it doesn't really hurt that much…it just feels…different," she explained, her voice barely above a whisper. When she started to move, I knew it was all right, and I continued…a fairly good thing, too, seeing as just hearing her speak while she was beneath me, in my arms, and around me was certainly trying to y self control.
By the time we finished the first time, it was to the sound of my name being cried out in the quiet of our room, as she found pleasure. I had pretty much been murmuring hers over and over again throughout the entire time.
We made love twice in the first night. I could have done so at least one more time, but I didn't want her to be too sore in the morning. Still, after we were through, had undressed and taken a rather sensual bath together, I couldn't rest. I didn't want to close my eyes, or stop looking at her. I think she felt the same. And even after all that she still blushed when she realized I was staring at her.
"You're looking at me as though you've never seen a naked woman before," she commented.
"I haven't," I replied.
"What a lie," she exclaimed, still smiling though.
"No, it's the truth," I explained. "After seeing you, all the others are gone." It was sort of truthful, anyhow. The memories of all the others seemed like pale, washed out ghosts compared to the brilliance that was my new wife. My statement was rewarded with another one of her fetching blushes.
"Talk to me," I asked her. I didn't care what she said, so long as I could hold her and hear her voice.
"What would you like me to talk about," she asked.
"Anything. Yourself."
So she talked. She told me all about her self. Much of it I already knew, some of it I didn't. For instance, she is only 4 years older than I am. She went to school at the towers as well, but had been away in Evereska during the attack Evermeet…she had family there she been visiting…cousins who had survived the attack on Evereska. Her parents both died in the attack on Evermeet, however, both had been defending against the elfeater…as my mother had been when she was wounded. She cried a bit when she told me about them, how kind and wonderful they had been. She was certain, however, that they we together in Arvandyr and watching over her.
Her grandparents had become very domineering since her parents' death, and it was they who'd arranged her betrothal…although, Rose admitted, she had agreed to it. She added that she loved her grandparents…her father's parents….dearly, and she understood that they were still grieving and that was why they were pushing her so hard. To that I replied that I thought it was of the matter that since they could no longer meddle in their son's life, they meant to meddle in hers. I don't really remember that much of mother's parents, but that is how my grandmother, Tiatha is. Once she realized that my father was no longer paying much heed to her "advice" she started in on me. Not that I had ever listened any better, mind you. Seeing as she controls house Hawksong, I guess she thinks that she should be able to do the same to us.
Rose spent time telling me about her training and her friends…of which she'd had few. And eventually she decided that it was my turn to talk. She asked questions and I answered them as best I could. She wanted to know what it was like on Ruathym, was both shocked and amused at some of the things I described about my time there. She was curious about the strange source of power that I'd always felt there, especially in that it had blocked magic from finding me…even high magic. As the hour grew later and the night reached its darkest hour, I grew introspective and told her some of my darker stories. I told her about what happened on Evermeet…about the potion teacher. Rose's anger over that was palpable, and she added that she'd never heard anything good about that woman, but if she'd ever suspected…she cut off in the middle of what she'd been about to still shaking in anger. And I told her about what I'd done Penelope, despite my thoughts to the contrary. I knew I didn't want to try to keep that particular secret forever. To her credit she didn't stiffen in disgust, nor did she condemn me. I am not certain what it was she felt, to be truthful…but that still made me nervous. I guessed she sensed this, and after a few moments of silence, she asked if I wished to share the communion with her.
Now, the communion, or the bonding, is another thing that, like reverie, is completely unique to the People. It is a bond that is shared between two people in which their minds and souls connect for a time. As far as I know it usually only occurs between two people with deep love, or deep trust as the inner mind becomes open to the other, baring all secrets. It is not something I have ever experienced, although the knowledge of how to do so is innate to me, as it is to all of the People. What shocked me, though, is that with our marriage so new, and Rose's acceptance of me so recent as well, was that she was willing to do this.
I wanted to…and yet I didn't. What if there was something in my mind that she couldn't accept? What if I saw something in hers that I couldn't handle? As all these thoughts were running through my head, Rose spoke again.
"If you don't wish to, we don't have to," she told me.
"No, I want to…it's just what if you see something in me that you don't like?" I wanted to know. She smiled, brightening the dark moment.
"Keledrial, my heart, there are many things about you that I don't like, but I love you, and I accept all of your flaws along with that."
"Flaws?" I laughed, a bit nervously I thought, as I tried to make it sound like a jest. "I have no flaws."
"Do you not? Shall we see?" she asked. Slowly, I nodded. No secrets…if there was one thing I'd seen and learned from the marriages of both of my sets of parents, it was that they had no secrets from each other.
She put the tips of her fingers against my temples. I did the same. Leaning forward, I rested my forehead against her and entered a state similar to reverie…only this state reflected dark memories as well as happy ones. Her mind flowed into my mind, even as my must have done the same. I could hear her voice inside of me, much as I had once heard Airk's voice…only this did bring any sense of dismay. For a time, her thoughts were my own and it was as though I was her. I felt her acceptance, felt her dismay at some of my more irritating habits and tendency…but nowhere in her thoughts was the disgust or hatred that I feared…nothing but love and relief that she no longer had to hide it any longer.
When we drew apart from the bonding of communion it was with a sense of loss but I could still feel her inside of me, even when our hands became our own again. Morning rays of light were peaking in through the only semi-drawn drapes of our room. When I finally slipped into reverie every thought that went through my resting mind reflected her. I could get used to be happy, I think.
We spent a full ten-day in Waterdeep. It was both strange and yet very liberating. It was odd to not have Sera constantly about me. I wasn't exactly unpleasant. Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter…but sometimes I forget how much easier things are when she's not around.
The only problem that I encountered was the next day. Rose awakened me just after noon. I can say with surety that I do like being awakened with a kiss.
" Do you always takes reverie while lying down, with your eyes closed?" I shrugged.
"It's just a habit I picked up on Ruathym. My foster parents were uncomfortable when I rested with my eyes open, so I learned to rest this way."
"I shall have to try it with you tonight," she smiled.
"That's only if I let you rest," I told her as I pinned her down and proceed to kiss her soundly. After Rose and I had enjoyed another round of lovemaking, the problem quickly came to our attention. Rose's dress was ripped in such a fashion that wearing in public would not be acceptable. I was quick to apologize when I saw the look of dismay on her face.
"Tell you what," I said to her. "I will take it down to a seamstress who'll fix it as good as new, and I'll buy you a few more as well…some clothes more suitable for wearing everyday." Her dress was, after all, a bit too fancy to being wearing about in the streets of Waterdeep. It would not attract pickpockets, but most likely the eyes of other men…the idea of which did not make me overly happy. I have no doubt that I would not take very well to the idea of other men having lustful thoughts about my wife.
"Oh, you don't have to do that. I have plenty of dresses in my rooms at the school. I don't need anymore," she protested.
"Rose, love, you have to have something to wear while we're here, and besides in your closets and trunks, I'll wager you don't have anything that I bought you," I replied.
"You've never bought me any clothes," she stated, truthfully.
"Exactly. But we're married now, and so I shall. Come, you can wear my tunic over the tear until we get something else for you to wear." I gave her the overtunic part of my shirt. It was far too large for her, falling to her knees, for one. It could have easily fit two of her in it.
We bought some new clothing, both for and myself at one of the places where I used to buy Sera's clothing. The same seamstress was still there, albeit considerably older, with lines of gray more prevalent than brown in her hair. The woman remembered me as well, and asked about how Sera was. I found it a bit odd that she was so polite to me, considering that on one occasion, Sera had wrecked a great deal of the woman's merchandise in a tantrum. Of course, I had paid her a great deal of money in recompense.
For the next few days, I showed Rosealliele around Waterdeep, taking her to many of the places I had once frequented…and going to some places that I never would have considered going. Some places were much the same as they had been, like Brian's shop, while others were greatly changed, like the party's inn. Yes, we went there, seeing as she insisted. Thankfully, none of my old party members were around, and there was a human running the place that I did not recognize. The inn itself has gotten a bit bigger, more rooms and the like added.
We visited the church to say hello to Celedor, who was quite pleased to see me looking so well…his words, not mine. He seemed a bit startled when I introduced Rose as my wife, but he recovered gracefully with sincere congratulations. I nearly laughed.
We also stopped by to see Lord Elaith, at his tavern. This time, he was there, and had gotten the message I left for him last time. If Rose was nervous about meeting Elaith, especially with his well-known reputation, she hid it well…but then again, hiding our emotions is something that most elves…especially the nobles, seem to able to do with ease.
Elaith was quite courteous to Rose, and we made small talk for a while. He seemed most interested to hear what I knew of Azariah, and how she was faring in the elven court. We were behind closed doors when this meeting occurred, I might add. We did not speak too long, though, for Elaith had some matters he had to attend to, but as Rose and I were leaving, he drew me aside.
"I may have a task for you," he stated quietly.
"You have but to ask," I replied. I have never thought to renege on the debt I owed him…though others would have had me do so.
"I'm still working out the details of the location, and such of a specific item I wish to find. If I'm correct, you will have a unique knowledge of how to retrieve it. I'll send word to you when I have all of the details," he explained, a bit a cryptically. I nodded.
"Until then," was my answer. I clasped his wrist and Rose and I continued on our way. She wanted to see what Castle Waterdeep looked like, and that was our next location.
As we got a few streets away, Rose finally spoke.
"I didn't know that you knew Lord Craulnober," she commented in a distinctly neutral sounding tone. I looked at her.
"Didn't you? It was quite well bandied about the court…my acquaintance with him. I'm surprised you wouldn't have heard…or at least seen it in my mind when we bonded," I added. She shook her head.
"I never heard, which is strange considering I was quite careful to listen to anything involving you…though I did not always believe it. And as for the boding…well, there was just so much in your thoughts that I couldn't possibly have felt everything," she explained. I wondered what else she didn't know about?
"Well then we shall just have to "bond" again, won't we?" I asked her in a suggestive tone that her blushing brightly.
We never did make it as far as the castle that day.
On the morning of the tenth day in Waterdeep, Rose and I reluctantly decided that it was time to head back to Everall. We both still had duties that we're being neglected, and responsibilities that we had to get back to. And despite how well our whirlwind of a marriage was going, there was still a great many things to do and figure….not the least of which was where we would live, and how exactly we should tell our families of what we'd done.
With the latter, we opted for the coward's way out. Not usually a route I like taking, but in this case, it seemed the most appropriate. We both penned letters to our families explaining what had happened. I also wrote a second letter to the Queen apologizing for breaking my engagement to her cousin, but adding that I could not, in good conscience, marry a woman I did not love. I had to hope she would understand.
We sent the letters to Evermeet by boat, carried there by a ship's captain who was bound for Leuthilspar. With luck it would be months before my parents would even find out what had occurred.
Rose teleported us back to Hap. I imagine that she must have been a bit nervous, as I felt. By now most of the school would know about our elopement…thanks to Sera, if no one else.
Mallorn met us before we got more than twenty feet into Hap.
"Greetings, cousin" he stepped out from behind a building, startling me so that I nearly grabbed a weapon, only just stopping myself in time.
"Would you not do that! Always sneaking about like a damned cat," I grumbled. He shrugged.
"It's harder for me to make noise than to be silent," he stated, with a half grin. "I trust you enjoyed your vacation?" he asked.
"Immensely," I replied, giving Rose a smile such that she knew exactly which part of our vacation I had most enjoyed. She blushed….too easy!
"Quite," she stated, despite her obvious embarrassment. "Keledrial showed me all around Waterdeep."
"That's nice. I'm glad that your time away from Everall was sunny, because the storm approaches," Mallorn stated in his usual cryptic manner.
"What storm?" I asked, suddenly wary.
"It beginnings with the cloud that darkened when she was not informed. The cloud grew into a thunderstorm when four bolts of lightning arrived in short order from a distant land," Mallorn explained in the manner that only bards seem to have...although I can hardly recall Tobias being this bad. Still, I caught exactly what he'd meant in short order. I groaned.
"Gods! I was hoping for a least a few months!"
"I believe my fair sister felt honor-bound to inform your Queen of what occurred…who in turn must have felt honor-bound to inform your families," Mallorn said, gravely. I thought I might have seen a bit of amusement lurking in his expression, but decided not to act on it. After all, what was done was done. Now it was time to face the consequences. I wasn't afraid. After all they could not take from me the two things I most loved: Rose and Sera…so there was little to fear, right? Oh they would yell and scream…especially my father. And I would yell and scream right back. They would be disappointed, but so long as I have Rose, it doesn't matter. I turned to regard my wife. She was looking a bit paler than usual.
"Well love, are you ready to face the storm?" I asked her, using Mallorn's analogy. She smiled weakly, and finally nodded. So we headed up on the walk towards Everall. As Celedor might have said, it was now time to face the consequences of our actions.