Disclaimer: I own my characters. I do not, however, own the basis for the plot, nor do I own Neverwinter Nights.

Author Note: Okay, so a friend of mine stuffed a disk into my hand and said, "Play this. You'll like it."

I've been a fan of RPGs since...well since I was a kid. My dad went through his RPG stage when I was thirteen...maybe fourteen. I learned a lot about them from watching him play. In my absolute love of fiction an RPG seemed the closest I could get to living in a fantasy world. Well that's what my little Anna would call a "duh!", but I think you know what I mean. Hey, you get to create characters! How much more cool can you get? So anyway, this love of RPGs was something that not many girls thought to highly of when I was in junior high and high school. So hey, that's how I met the guys! And my true love. Big smile Anyway, my love of Neverwinter came just recently. I've been too busy for much "Raven Time", so my friend gave me the disk and told me to lose myself for a few hours. "Take a break, Raven." he said.

Who was I to refuse? I fell in love with the world and I HAD to write something about it. I mean, with as many characters as I could create, a storyline, magic...sooooo here we are! I had to write in first person because Kestral was(is) my character. I shaped her after myself, as much as I could. Mainly in looks, however the dark red hair looks like the color of wine. So that was rather strange. Anyway, I've taken a lot out of the original game plot. Namely the henchmen. I might have them a little, but I like my own characters more. Yes, I made more than one. I couldn't help it. : ) Well, enjoy my newest (but not my only) obsession!

Raven "Siren's Muse"

Chapter One: Graduation

In Which We Meet Yours Truly

I like to sing. I suppose that's a good thing, since I am a bard, however it wasn't exactly relevant to the story. Well it is, but it's a rather lame thing to say. I guess I ought to have introduced myself, as thus, I am Kestral Fynn, daughter of a long line of bards and keepers of ages of history. Literally and figuratively. My young life was pretty basic. I was trained in Bardic Lore since infancy and trained in the fighting arts as soon as I could walk--or maybe it was, pick up a dagger--either way, my father had been a bard, while my mother had been a paladin. My father taught me to sing and cast spells, my mother had taught me to chop off people's heads and generally kick butt. Odd family? It gets better! My brother forsook both paths and became a monk. Yes, a monk. I guess he thought it would be cool to go around chanting spells and not wearing armor when he fights. My Great Uncle...or someone or another on my mother's side had been a monk, I guess that's where he got it. My mother's family had a wide array of magic users, but my dad's side was all bards. I guess that's why they didn't like it when he broke tradition and married a paladin. Of course, my odd family gets even better. Not only was my mother a paladin, but she was also an elf. And my father was human. So that makes me a half-elf. I didn't inherit the pointed ears like I envied my mother for, but the more rounded, only slightly pointed ears of the dreaded half-elf. Perfect. Simply perfect. Of course, if not for my features, any human would think me simply human. But it's my features that give me away. I have the green elven eyes. My skin is pale as winter and my eyes are slightly slanted with arching brows that make me always look like I think everyone is below me. Heh. Sometimes my looks come in handy. Unfortunately, most of the time they're a giant pain in the rear. But this isn't about my looks. Nor is it really about my family. It's about me...and Neverwinter. You see, Neverwinter fell to siege in my last year of training at the academy. Not siege by human foes, but of illness. A plague of massive proportions. Those who contracted it never escaped. There was no cure. My mother and father died from it while I was in training. My brother had left a year earlier on some fool quest for communion with whatever or another. Something about his ki. I don't know why the fool couldn't commune in Neverwinter. Maybe he could have helped our parents. Although, I guess I'm glad he didn't stay. He might have died too. Sometimes, the simple thought that I still have a living family member out there somewhere is the only thing that keeps me going. Prior to my graduation from the academy I met a young man name Pavel and his brother, Bim. Pavel's words to me were what started the whole thing.

"There you are! I was about to go in and wake you up! Master Tathra was looking everywhere for you."

I smiled slightly, wondering who this strange boy was and what my arms master wanted to tell me that was so darned important. Maybe I'm telepathic, because the boy grimaced slightly and continued with, "Sorry, you must think I'm crazy."

I nodded. "Strange men don't often come to my door and tell me that they were going to come in and wake me up."

He grinned. "I'm Pavel" he said jovially, sticking out his hand.

I shook it firmly. "Kestral. Kestral Fynn."

"I know." he said nodding, his light brown hair tossing about wildly. "Look, I'd love to talk, but Master Tathra sent me to tell you that Lady Aribeth wants to speak with you after your tests!"

My eyes must have widened ten times their normal, overly-large size because he grinned even wider and patted my shoulder in a comradely fashion. "Don't worry! I but she's only heard the best things about you! That's all I've ever heard."

Again my eyes widened. "I have a reputation?"

"As the best fighter in the academy."

My eyes now narrowed. "I can spell for a lie."

Now his smile faded. "I mean that as the honest truth. You're good Kestral. Very good. Did you think it'd take long for masters higher up to hear about you? Anyway, you best hurry."

"Where is the Lady Aribeth?"

"In the room you'll congregate in after you ace your tests. South Assembly Room."

"Thanks."

"Good luck!"

I frowned at his retreating figure and contemplated the young man for a moment. He was a stalwart, honest-looking fellow. Human, maybe with a trace of elf in his blood, if his skin tones had anything to say. I shrugged and tightened the belt on my bard's robes. No sooner had I done that and started down the hallway towards the training rooms, then a young man who looked almost exactly like Pavel, stopped me. "Did my brother talk to you?" he asked, panting and trying to catch his breath.

I nodded. "He told me that Lady Aribeth wanted to talk to me."

"Good. By the way, the name's Bim. I'm Pavel's brother."

"Nice to meet you." I said, shaking his hand. "Look, I'm in a bit of a rush..."

"Oh! Sorry, yeah. Mind if I escort you there?"

Mentally I grinned. This guy knew his way around women. Don't ask me how I could tell, by the few words he spoke to me. Maybe it was his odd, lopsided, cocky smile. Either way, I took his proffered arm and we half-strolled, half-hurried to the training rooms. Once there, he smiled, wished me luck and left. I walked him disappear down the hall and out of sight. Mental note, stay away from Bim, unless I'm in the mood to flirt. Now was not the time. Now was the time to show them everything I had learned these past years. Everything that had kept me away from consoling my parents in their last days had now come to a crashing finale. It vaguely reminded me of my first ballad I tried to sing. Although I hesitated in remembering that since in the climax of the song, my harp string broke and my voice cracked horribly. I'll make the short story of my test even shorter. I passed both of my last tests easily and strolled off, sword in hand, to meet Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande.

Ew… short chapter. See the little review button? You can push it now.