Listening to the receding echoes from the Drow's resounding laughter,
oddly fitting to the group's holed-out mountain surroundings, Negrath
could not help but think that the poor fool who had spat at them, must have
broken some sort of limit for physical accomplishment at the sound of it…
Gesturing for Keldorn to follow him to the throne, he gave a low query, and, upon Keldorn's acceptance of the thoughts behind it, covered the imposing stone in some of the groups thicker cloaks, making sure Jaheira would be able to come awake in the seat she had won ownership of.
Aerie was put to heal the Druid as good as her minor and average Heals could, once she had managed to memorize them, and otherwise care for the staff-wielder as best the Avariel knew….
When she finally woke, the rest of the world had gone through the following day, and were back in night...
Upon opening her eyes, she turned her head to look up in the darkness above for a moment, before reacting to the far from level position she felt she was in, lifting her head from the cloth-covered backrest.
Looking down at herself for a moment, she smiled in mild amusement, lay her head back down, and closed her eyes, chuckling softly.
Reacting to the sound, Viconia stood from the groups makeshift camp at the inner side of the pit, and moved to the Druids side, waiting for her to acknowledge her dark-skinned presence.
Wrinkling her nose, the Harper mumbled, without opening her eyes;
-"What do you want, Drow?"
-"I want you to realize that one does not discard a healing spell simply because one is trying to remove the casters reason for living."
Opening one eye, Jaheira lifted her head and looked strangely at Viconia;
-"What did you say?"
-"That one should not discard a healing spell just because you have a disagreement with the caster."
-"No. no, that's not what you said. What you said about…"
-"I never said that." Interrupted Viconia blandly, belying the pleading air that suddenly settled around her like a shadow-cloak.
Sliding a bit down in her "chair", Jaheira leaned her head on the "padded" corner of the backrest, studying the dark-skinned female with a blank expression on her face…
-"You really meant it, didn't you? You slipped." She finally stated.
Momentarily lowering her head, the Drow hissed coldly; "As though you understand why I do anything."
-"I believe I do." Jaheira calmly nodded, stretching aching arms a bit, before continuing; "I just doubt if it's a valid reason to do what you do."
-"It's as valid as I need!" Viconia exclaimed.
-"I don't believe you." Were the Druid's calm remark.
Knotting her fist, her erstwhile opponent glared at her;
-"You do know that I can kill you with a touch, don't you? No magic required…not even speed. I could be caressing you…and in doing so, ensure your end of life. You Know This! So what makes you think I care whether you believe me or not?"
-"Oh, I'm sure you do not want to…but you do. Had you not cared, you would not have come here in the first place."
Turning away, shivering with an anger she had no-one to be the valid recipient of, Viconia eventually turned back.
Grabbing the Druid by the shoulders, she hissed, tears having nothing to do with her anger threatening to overflow her eyes;
-"You will not tell him…or anyone!"
-"I'm tempted to claim that it would not matter if you were not with us(*)…but then there's no point in that." Jaheira replied, self-assuredly removing the dark hands from her shoulders, somewhat worried the Drow might break her neck on the backrest given chance and inclination…and inclination she evidently intended to follow, as she saw in the druids eyes, why she did what she did….
-"What's going on here?" were the quite possibly lifesaving comment from a wide alert ranger, rodent eagerly chittering at the two women.
-"Boo tells me there's danger here, but Minsc can only find two dangers here, and that is you. Mind telling Minsc why Boo woke him for this?"
-"Oh, perhaps he just wanted you to experience being the one male awake with two female elves." Viconia replied casually, a humorous smile appearing out of nowhere.
Seeing the large man look doubtfully down at the animal, she left, chuckling all the way to her covers.
-"Thanks, Minsc. You and your Boo might just have stopped a second attempt on my life." Jaheira smiled, settling in to continue sleeping, leaving the ranger to look between the two sleeping women with puzzlement, Boo looking back up at him, as the warrior looked at his little friend…
As the Hamster gave a squeak, Minsc nodded;
-"Yes, Boo, I know the danger is over, and Minsc thanks you for helping him save Jaheira, but I wish it could have happened closer to morning."
Yawning largely, the two unusual friends seemed to smile tiredly at each other, as the tall warrior turned to wander back to his bedding…
As the small band stepped out into a fresh morning, they encountered the druid they had guided out of Trademeet, looking as though he had been guarding the entrance for quite some time.
Waving him over, Jaheira smiled, not the least bit surprised at seeing him there;
-"Hello, my friend! We have liberated the Grove for you…unfortunately you will have to gather your own students, but I doubt that will be a problem once it becomes known the place has gone back to a True Druid. I take it you are eager to start your work?"
-"Indeed," were the low-toned and grateful reply, as the newcomer looked at Negrath; "You may come through here at any time…I believe I'll find a way to repay you sooner or later…your druid will now when."
With that, he vanished into the cave, mumbling something about a cleansing…
Turning to Jaheira to comment on it, he found her gazing at the surrounding forest with a serene calm he had not seen in her since…since the last time they had camped before being captured…before Khalid had gone beyond even Viconia's grasp…
Deciding to change the sound of his statement, he gave a silent query;
-"You'd prefer to stay here, wouldn't you?"
Looking at him, she hurriedly shook her head, suddenly slowing down to a less enthusiastic response;
-"No, I…I just would have liked to have such a home someday…Nature is my life, and Nature is where Khalid…where we joined for the first time…quite similar to this place, actually…"
Breaking out of her reverie, she smiled, almost shyly;
-"But that's in the past, and my home is in the future. Shall we go back to the town that hired us, then?"
-"…let's." Negrath nodded, having paused briefly to study her, and finding no trace of hesitancy in her eyes…
Once back in the Trading Town, they split up to do whatever fit them best individually.
Viconia rummaged around in her pack before handing it to Minsc, and, ugly head in hand, skipped over a nearby piece of city wall as though it weren't there…
Negrath began to feel slightly out of place with his earlier hesitancy at the sight of the imposing barrier, and were grateful that the two other males of the group would be unable to copy the feat…or so he hoped…
Seeing the ranger wait with hand outstretched, he smiled, and gave the large warrior his pack, before following Viconia by way of the gate…
Peeking his head into the various tents, he eventually found the right one,…and got pulled into it head first.
As he rolled to a stop in the other end, he looked back to the entrance from his prone position, legs to cloth, and saw an upside down version of Viconia, laughing back at him;
-"I knew you would come if I waited long enough."
Looking around confusedly as he got to his feet, he felt a sense of irrational fear, as he failed to see any other intelligent beings in the tent.
Grinning with amusement, she gestured at the empty construction;
-"You honestly didn't expect them to stay once their business was done, did you?"
-"I can tell you didn't either." He mumbled, feeling his legs getting ready to run.
-"Not with the attitude they had to the townsfolk, no."
-"So…you got me alone with you again…" he mumbled, showing off his talent at pointing out the obvious.
-"So I did." She smiled, slowly stepping closer, hands behind her back…
*: the suggestion inspired by a similar statement, made by a character most foul-minded, from that magnificent series; "Elfquest".
Just thought you'd like to know…(
Gesturing for Keldorn to follow him to the throne, he gave a low query, and, upon Keldorn's acceptance of the thoughts behind it, covered the imposing stone in some of the groups thicker cloaks, making sure Jaheira would be able to come awake in the seat she had won ownership of.
Aerie was put to heal the Druid as good as her minor and average Heals could, once she had managed to memorize them, and otherwise care for the staff-wielder as best the Avariel knew….
When she finally woke, the rest of the world had gone through the following day, and were back in night...
Upon opening her eyes, she turned her head to look up in the darkness above for a moment, before reacting to the far from level position she felt she was in, lifting her head from the cloth-covered backrest.
Looking down at herself for a moment, she smiled in mild amusement, lay her head back down, and closed her eyes, chuckling softly.
Reacting to the sound, Viconia stood from the groups makeshift camp at the inner side of the pit, and moved to the Druids side, waiting for her to acknowledge her dark-skinned presence.
Wrinkling her nose, the Harper mumbled, without opening her eyes;
-"What do you want, Drow?"
-"I want you to realize that one does not discard a healing spell simply because one is trying to remove the casters reason for living."
Opening one eye, Jaheira lifted her head and looked strangely at Viconia;
-"What did you say?"
-"That one should not discard a healing spell just because you have a disagreement with the caster."
-"No. no, that's not what you said. What you said about…"
-"I never said that." Interrupted Viconia blandly, belying the pleading air that suddenly settled around her like a shadow-cloak.
Sliding a bit down in her "chair", Jaheira leaned her head on the "padded" corner of the backrest, studying the dark-skinned female with a blank expression on her face…
-"You really meant it, didn't you? You slipped." She finally stated.
Momentarily lowering her head, the Drow hissed coldly; "As though you understand why I do anything."
-"I believe I do." Jaheira calmly nodded, stretching aching arms a bit, before continuing; "I just doubt if it's a valid reason to do what you do."
-"It's as valid as I need!" Viconia exclaimed.
-"I don't believe you." Were the Druid's calm remark.
Knotting her fist, her erstwhile opponent glared at her;
-"You do know that I can kill you with a touch, don't you? No magic required…not even speed. I could be caressing you…and in doing so, ensure your end of life. You Know This! So what makes you think I care whether you believe me or not?"
-"Oh, I'm sure you do not want to…but you do. Had you not cared, you would not have come here in the first place."
Turning away, shivering with an anger she had no-one to be the valid recipient of, Viconia eventually turned back.
Grabbing the Druid by the shoulders, she hissed, tears having nothing to do with her anger threatening to overflow her eyes;
-"You will not tell him…or anyone!"
-"I'm tempted to claim that it would not matter if you were not with us(*)…but then there's no point in that." Jaheira replied, self-assuredly removing the dark hands from her shoulders, somewhat worried the Drow might break her neck on the backrest given chance and inclination…and inclination she evidently intended to follow, as she saw in the druids eyes, why she did what she did….
-"What's going on here?" were the quite possibly lifesaving comment from a wide alert ranger, rodent eagerly chittering at the two women.
-"Boo tells me there's danger here, but Minsc can only find two dangers here, and that is you. Mind telling Minsc why Boo woke him for this?"
-"Oh, perhaps he just wanted you to experience being the one male awake with two female elves." Viconia replied casually, a humorous smile appearing out of nowhere.
Seeing the large man look doubtfully down at the animal, she left, chuckling all the way to her covers.
-"Thanks, Minsc. You and your Boo might just have stopped a second attempt on my life." Jaheira smiled, settling in to continue sleeping, leaving the ranger to look between the two sleeping women with puzzlement, Boo looking back up at him, as the warrior looked at his little friend…
As the Hamster gave a squeak, Minsc nodded;
-"Yes, Boo, I know the danger is over, and Minsc thanks you for helping him save Jaheira, but I wish it could have happened closer to morning."
Yawning largely, the two unusual friends seemed to smile tiredly at each other, as the tall warrior turned to wander back to his bedding…
As the small band stepped out into a fresh morning, they encountered the druid they had guided out of Trademeet, looking as though he had been guarding the entrance for quite some time.
Waving him over, Jaheira smiled, not the least bit surprised at seeing him there;
-"Hello, my friend! We have liberated the Grove for you…unfortunately you will have to gather your own students, but I doubt that will be a problem once it becomes known the place has gone back to a True Druid. I take it you are eager to start your work?"
-"Indeed," were the low-toned and grateful reply, as the newcomer looked at Negrath; "You may come through here at any time…I believe I'll find a way to repay you sooner or later…your druid will now when."
With that, he vanished into the cave, mumbling something about a cleansing…
Turning to Jaheira to comment on it, he found her gazing at the surrounding forest with a serene calm he had not seen in her since…since the last time they had camped before being captured…before Khalid had gone beyond even Viconia's grasp…
Deciding to change the sound of his statement, he gave a silent query;
-"You'd prefer to stay here, wouldn't you?"
Looking at him, she hurriedly shook her head, suddenly slowing down to a less enthusiastic response;
-"No, I…I just would have liked to have such a home someday…Nature is my life, and Nature is where Khalid…where we joined for the first time…quite similar to this place, actually…"
Breaking out of her reverie, she smiled, almost shyly;
-"But that's in the past, and my home is in the future. Shall we go back to the town that hired us, then?"
-"…let's." Negrath nodded, having paused briefly to study her, and finding no trace of hesitancy in her eyes…
Once back in the Trading Town, they split up to do whatever fit them best individually.
Viconia rummaged around in her pack before handing it to Minsc, and, ugly head in hand, skipped over a nearby piece of city wall as though it weren't there…
Negrath began to feel slightly out of place with his earlier hesitancy at the sight of the imposing barrier, and were grateful that the two other males of the group would be unable to copy the feat…or so he hoped…
Seeing the ranger wait with hand outstretched, he smiled, and gave the large warrior his pack, before following Viconia by way of the gate…
Peeking his head into the various tents, he eventually found the right one,…and got pulled into it head first.
As he rolled to a stop in the other end, he looked back to the entrance from his prone position, legs to cloth, and saw an upside down version of Viconia, laughing back at him;
-"I knew you would come if I waited long enough."
Looking around confusedly as he got to his feet, he felt a sense of irrational fear, as he failed to see any other intelligent beings in the tent.
Grinning with amusement, she gestured at the empty construction;
-"You honestly didn't expect them to stay once their business was done, did you?"
-"I can tell you didn't either." He mumbled, feeling his legs getting ready to run.
-"Not with the attitude they had to the townsfolk, no."
-"So…you got me alone with you again…" he mumbled, showing off his talent at pointing out the obvious.
-"So I did." She smiled, slowly stepping closer, hands behind her back…
*: the suggestion inspired by a similar statement, made by a character most foul-minded, from that magnificent series; "Elfquest".
Just thought you'd like to know…(
