Disclaimer: I still don't own NWN, but I still own my characters.

Author's Note:

Thanks for the reviews Shadow0015 and Guan! Yes, my knowledge of NWN isn't as solid as I'd like it to be, but for the record I am changing things around a bit. Some will be small things, other will be quite large things. Anyway, a few comments on the reviews, I always wondered what Pavel did after getting out of the academy. I mean, there was a lock-down on the entire city, since I couldn't explain that, I had him come along with Kestral! I can't remember if Kestral's CG of TC. Bla. The the "bard thing" actually came from mythology. If I remember correctly. Names were very important to bards. Changing what has already been properly named is a very bad thing for the flow of history and life and such. Now this next chapter kind of bugs me. Kestral does something that I would consider very stupid. But, it does go along with what will come into the plot later. So, yeah, it may seem really odd now, but everything WILL be explained! It will! I promise! Glad you like it and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Raven "Siren's Muse"

Chapter Five: Pavel's Fate

A New Problem to Deal With and a Shove Out the Door

I spent the afternoon with Dal. Amendel was with us for a little while, before he claimed he had errands to run. Kileen, Meryn, and Enid had chores to do. And Kileen assured me that I would meet Gaelan when he returned from his own errands. So Dal and I sat and watched them work for awhile. Then we played games with our hands for another while. When it was nap-time for Dal, we slept in the comfy chair by the fireplace in the cozy, tiny sitting room next to the kitchen. I dreamed. I don't quite remember what, but I knew I was in it. Pavel was too. We were running. But I could see what it was we were running from. I remember fear filling me. I somehow knew that I couldn't escape it. Whatever it was. I awoke to Dal crying. Kileen took him then and the boy claimed he had a nightmare. Strange. I thought. So did I.

Gaelan and Amendel returned at the same time--right before dinner. Gaelan was a pleasant fellow. Short like most Halflings, but I supposed he had a bit of human in his blood for he was taller than many male Halflings I had seen. We ate dinner and the family went to the sitting room to talk. Amendel went with them. It was then I realized that I hadn't seen Pavel all afternoon. I hurried to the upper apartment to find him lying on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "Hello Pavel." I said, plopping on the ground near the head of the couch. "What's wrong? You weren't at dinner."

"Just tired." he said quickly.

I bent over to look at him. His face was ashen and his breathing ragged. I jumped back. "You--you--"

He nodded, coughing. "I assume Amendel knows?"

He nodded again and gave another hacking cough. "He was the one who first noticed it."

"But you're contagious." I stuttered.

"Most likely."

"I--" there wasn't much I could say. Pavel had the Wailing Death . He was putting everyone in danger...but he had the plague. I was watching the same plague that killed my parents kill a good fighter, a comrade, and a friend. I stepped back, shaking my head. 'No, it's just a minor cold. I can cure it."
"It's the plague. You can't cure it unless you find the Waterdhavian creatures. And even then I don't know if there'll be a cure."

I closed my eyes. I was suddenly very weary. "You can't have the plague, Pavel."

"Why not?"

"You'll die!"

I was stating the obvious and I knew it. But the actuality of someone I knew, I watched, I was watching, having the plague was enough to send me over the edge. My mind was saying that it wasn't the plague. He didn't smell of rotting flesh, nor did he have an sores like the men who attacked the Highill children had. Flung my hands into the air, saying a healing spell before I knew what I was saying. Nothing happened, of course. I sat hard on the ground, leaned my head against the wooden chair and fell asleep. I awoke next morning in Amendel's bed with a cool cloth on my forehead. "So you're awake!" came Kileen's cheerful voice.

I nodded and moaned slightly as I shifted to sit up. "Tsk! No pity for yourself. You don't have the plague. You fell asleep with your head on a hard chair. Amendel found you and said you fainted, but I looked and you and told him that you were just exhausted. Too much in only a few days. But the time for sleeping is over. Get up, there's breakfast at the table downstairs."

"But there's a plague victim in the house! I was near him!"

She looked sad. "He's not contagious yet."

The yet hung like a sounding threat between us. There was little I could do. Four more long days separated me from my audience with Lady Aribeth. Four days in which to watch someone suffer from the Wailing Death . I set my face in a firm line and swung my feet over the side. I was thankfully still wearing my clothes from yesterday. Apparently Amendel had more morals than I gave him credit for. I looked at Kileen to find a grin spreading across her face. "If anyone can find a cure to this terrible plague, it'll be you, Kestral Fynn. You've got the look of greatness about you and it doesn't take any magic to see it. I'll keep a plate hot for you. Come down when you're ready." she turned to leave and stopped, remembering something. "Oh and Lord Silverhand wants you to meet him at the Ila's Inn as soon as you're done with breakfast."

"Ila's Inn?" I questioned.

"Yes the inn you were staying at before you came here."

I nodded and she left me to get ready.

I decided not to wear my bard's tunic. It attracted too much attention. If I was to find a cure, I would need to blend it, ask questions, and become generally trusted. A bard couldn't do that, but a barmaid or rogue could. I dressed all in black, but stuffed some gold in my bag. I'd find a suitable dress for a more...revealing disguise, later. I ate a hurried breakfast. None of the children were around. Kileen said that they'd gone with their father for various food items for dinner. I nodded, thanked her for breakfast, and hurried out the door. It wasn't too hard to retrace the steps from the day before. I reached Ila's Inn about ten minutes later and blinked as my eyes adjusted to the dim interior. My eyes scanned the dining hall. It was full of activity and I almost thought I wouldn't find him, but for the raven that brushed past me. I grinned and followed it to Amendel, who was sitting at the bar like he had been when I met him. The raven landed on Amendel's shoulder and squawked loudly. "Hush Ryn! Do you want to get kicked out of here? Have you found my lady half-elf yet? How much sleep does one woman need? Must be the human in her." He grumbled.

I frowned. Just for that I wouldn't announce my presence politely. I walked quietly over, trusting on my elven-feet to make no sound. Once behind him, I drew out my arm to wrap around his neck, but he was faster. My arms were flung above my head and a dagger was staring me right in the face. Amendel swore loudly and dropped my hands. "I could have killed you. What do you mean by sneaking up on me like that? And what's taken you so long? You sleep like the dead. I tried to wake you up. That could get you killed someday."

He might have gone on, but I slid into the stool next to him and lightly slapped him. "Shut it. What did you want to talk to me about anyway? I have important things to do."

"Such as?"

"Save my friend. Or have you forgotten that Pavel's dying?"

Amendel glared. "I haven't that's why I needed to talk to you."

"Oh?" My curiosity was sufficiently peaked.

"But we can't talk here."

"Where the--"

He grabbed my hand, wrapped it through his arm, and led me out of the inn and into the bright sun shine. "And this is a better place to talk?" I mocked.

"Not here, my dear lady. And why in the world did you dress all in black? You stick out like a blighted thumb. We'll have to find you something better to wear and don't suggest your bard's tunic. That would stick out as well."

"I wasn't going to. That's why I didn't wear it." I protested, more than annoyed.

"Well at least you have some sense. Now hurry."

"I don't have the money." I lied, not wanting to go about changing my entire wardrobe and admit that I did stick out like a sore thumb.

It was the principle of the matter.

"I'll pay for it. Call it an early wedding gift of you want."

"Wedding gift? Tyr plague you! What the hell are you talking about?!"

"Well for all practical purposes, besides that of a extraordinary disguise, I do need to protect you if you must go about saving Neverwinter."

"Who said you were helping?"

"No one. But I have my own reasons."

"And those other reasons are..." I gestured for him to explain.

"None that I shall be sharing with you."

I hated his entire idea, so I decided to throw it back in his face. "If you're so set of marrying me for "practical purposes" then you'll sooner or later have to tell your wife."

He shook his head. I allow you secrets, allow me mine."

"I hardly know you!" I freed my hand from his and stepped away. "We only met yesterday and suddenly you say you know I have secrets, that you're going to help me with my quest, and that you want to marry me! You have to be out of your mind!"

The elven sorcerer smiled. "Now, now, calm yourself. You'll make a scene and attract unwanted attention."

"Damn the attention. I want to know."

"Well, I may have just met you, but we are beings infused with magic. That creates a bond. Did you not wonder why we both trusted each other so easily?"

"No, because I still don't trust you."

He sighed and took my hand again. "Then you're even less trained than I first expected. Well, I'll fix that problem later. I already gave you my answer about helping you. I wouldn't if I didn't have my own bit to gain. And I'm not speaking of money. And as for wanting to marry you, I hardly want to marry you. You're a half-elf! In my right mind I would have simply scorned you long ago. But as I have said before, I need to go on this quest and you need protection. I suppose you could always just be my lover..."

I glared at him.

"See, I didn't think that would go over very well with you."

"Why protect me? You could just do this on your own."

"Hardly. Lady Aribeth chose you for a reason."

"How do you know? I haven't even met with her. I haven't even told you I was meeting with her."

"I'm telepathic. And as for knowing Lady Aribeth chose you, well is it not obvious? You have something about you...for the life of me I can't figure out what it is, but I feel it has to do with finding the cure."

"Stay out of my mind."

He smiled. "It was of urgent need, I won't do it again."

"Good."

We reached the market and Amendel pulled me into a shop that sold fine clothing. A lady met us at the door and scanned me with an appraising eye. I felt like a slab of fresh meat. I glared again at Amendel...for good measure. The woman declared me shapeless and too plain for the popular colors. "She looks best in black. And that red hair! Did Tyr curse you with that or did you do it yourself?" she complained.

I was ready to kill the woman, but Amendel's hand on my arm stopped me. "Shhh, all dressmakers are critical."

I glared up at him. "And you know this because?"

"I have a sister." he said with a grin. "I have been to more dress fittings then I wish to admit. My sister is no plain girl, but the dressmaker always declared her the ugliest thing on two-legs."

Somehow, knowing he had a sister made him a bit more human. I offered a lopsided smile and he smiled back. The woman returned with several beautiful dresses in colors of emerald green, a midnight blue, and dark purple. "Go on String-bean," she said, shoving me towards a tiny closet for changing. "try them on and try not to wrinkle them."

I obediently took the dresses and put on the emerald green one. It was a work of art. And lovely enough...for a dress. There must have been some magic to it, for it lessened my large hips (compliments of my father's mother) and made my almost non-existent chest existent. The cut wasn't the latest fashion. I wasn't playing the part of a noblewoman. Just a woman. I strode out and was immediately railed upon. "You walk like someone who just came from the academy! You're a woman, not a soldier!"

I stifled my smile. If she only knew how right she was. "Glide!" the woman ordered.

I took on a rather humorous sashay over to a grinning Amendel. "I told you I look like a loon in a dress." I whispered.

"You said no such thing and you hardly look like a loon."

I shot him a look. "Don't get like that with me. I won't stand for it."

"Like what?"

"Smiling like that. Looking like that!" I whispered harshly.

He only grinned some more. "Well my lord, what do you think of her." asked the dressmaker.

Amendel considered his words for a moment. Probably deciding which ones would send me over the edge. After a moment he gave me a strange grin (that I did not like) and said, "She's more beautiful than a goddess."

He said it in all sincerity. The woman scoffed and started pushing me back toward the changing room. I glanced back to see Amendel's strange smile still on his lips. "You're lucky there's one man in this world who loves you." the dressmaker complained as she pushed me in the room and locked the door, leaving me to ponder her words.

We bought all three dresses. Or rather, Amendel bought them. I began to wonder if allthe children's Lord Silverhand nonsense was true. He had money to spare. More than a simple wandering mercenary. We ate lunch at Ila's inn and I finally blew up. "This is all well and good, but we are no closer to finding a cure for Pavel!"

"Oh, but we are."

"And how are three dresses going to help us?"

"You have a voice, don't you?"

"If you're asking whether I can sing or not, of course I can sing. I'm a bard."

"Sing for me."

I looked him squarely in the face, trying to gauge his sincerity. After divining that he was indeed completely sincere, I asked, "Right now?"

He nodded.

"What do you want to hear?"

"Something in Elvish."

"People will stare."

"You're a bard, surely you don't mind."

"I have no new tales. They're all old!"

"Make something up."

"Bards do not make things up. It goes against all our rules. We repeat history and legend."

"Legends are just bits of made-up history." he pointed out.

"They have a ring of truth to them."

"So then add a ring of truth to your song."

"No. I'll sing an old ballad that used to be my father's favorite." I decided finally.

I drew my harp from my bag. I always carried my harp. Everywhere. I glared at him once more, before pulling my harp to a comfortable position and taking a drink from my wine. Wine was hardly good for my vocal cords, but it was all I had and I had sung under worse conditions. The first note that left my mouth was less than perfect. Mentally, I cursed my lack of practice. I wove and expert bit of magic into the sound and began to speak Elvish. The language was strange on my tongue. It had been ages since I had uttered anything in the language. Elvish really is a beautiful language. Perfect for song and poetry, but from my mouth it had the coarse accent of one who spoke common...and not even a very proper form of common. I wove more magic into the words, infusing more of my spirit than was probably necessary. I used to do this when I was a child and I didn't want my father to hear my mistakes. If any bards were visiting the inn, they would surely be appalled by my performance. I stole a glance at Amendel who was listening, rapt. I had caught him off-guard for once, but I didn't have the time to rejoice in my victory. The legend was a very old one. It truthfully had been my father's favorite. It was about a Elven hero who was in love with a human sorceress. The sorceress was evil, but the hero insisted to the king that she could be turned for good. The sorceress tries everything to kill the hero, but he prevails through all her tests and finally meets her face to face. She throws her final spell at him and he becomes stone. She puts him in a locked tower in her castle and for many years, she tries to forget about him, but his persistence and love wins over her heart and she goes to the tower to free him, only to find that the spell turned him to stone forever. In her grief, she turns herself over to the king and confesses what she had done to the brave hero who had loved her. The king becomes enraged at the loss of his hero and condemns the sorceress to death. The sorceress in locked in the dungeons and sings a lament so sad and so infused with magic that everyone in the kingdom cries for three days. She does this again, at the end of the third day. But her lament is worse than before. Everyone in the kingdom kills themselves out of sadness and the sorceress in left alone. She escapes the cell and wanders the earth until she finally goes back to her castle and the tower in which the stone hero stands. She tells the stone hero what she did and begs for him to forgive her. But the hero is stone and doesn't answer. She does this for many more days until she finally has enough and curls up in the corner of the tower, waiting to die. During the night, the hero awakens from his stone sleep and sees the desolate sorceress, lying in the corner. He wakes her and she nearly dies of surprise. He tells her how he wanted nothing more than to love her and help her turn her evil ways to good, but the desolate sorceress is sure that she could never do anything good. She tells him of the kingdom, but to her utter surprise, he forgives her. They go and journey long to find a way to bring the people of the kingdom back from the dead. Through the journey they face many hardships and the sorceress learns to use her magic for good. Finally they find a dragon at the top of a great and terrible mountain. He tells them that one of them will have to die to save the kingdom. The sorceress agrees to die and the dragon laughs saying something to the effect of her great courage and goodness has revived the people of the kingdom. They go back to a bustling kingdom. The sorceress formally apologizes to the entire kingdom and then marries the hero. They're given a castle and they live in happiness to the end of their days. A long tale, but not one eye shut. Indeed, every eye was on me as I sung the last note. Even those who did not understand Elvish somehow knew the story. I realized that I had been painting pictures in the dust that shone in the ray of sun through the window. The wisps of dust and air acted out the entire story and fell to the ground as the last note faded. I set my harp down, rubbing my sore fingers. It had been so long since I had played anything that my fingers were getting sore like they had when I first learned to play. Amendel broke out of his reverie before anyone else. I was stuffing my harp into my purse and looking out the window. The song had take away nearly two hours. No wonder I was so tired. My voice was hardly affected because I had been trained to use magic to keep it hydrated. Slowly, the guests came back to the present and began a wild applause. Ila came up to me and handed me a tall glass of water. "Thank you, my Lady Bard. You grace this inn with your music."

I nodded politely to the other who came up to thank me. Then I turned to Amendel. "We should leave." I said quietly, glancing around.

He nodded, took my arm and led me out into the sunshine. I blinked against its bright rays. In the dark of the inn I had felt much like the sorceress in the dank, dark dungeon cell. I glanced up to find Amendel smiling at me. "You never told me you had such a beautiful voice."

"You never asked." I said simply.

He reached down and took my hand. He examined it for a moment. First the top and then my palm. "I knew there was a reason I wanted to help you." he said presently.

I pulled my hand back quick and smiled slightly. "I best get back to the Highill's house." I said quickly, cursing myself in every language I knew of how little I had gotten done today.

Pavel was dying and here I was, with the chance to redeem myself for not finding the cure when my parents first contracted the plague, acting like it was an ordinary day. Singing tales that ended in smiles, buying dresses, and eating like I would live the next day and the day after that. I stalked out of the inn and head back. Dinner was over by the time I arrived, but Kileen fixed some bread and fresh milk with a bit of fruit for me. Dal latched himself to my side and didn't leave all evening. Enid told in great detail, with big gestures of the trip to the market earlier. Meryn sat with us, but said nothing. Occasionally her eyes crinkled up in a smile at something her sister said, but nothing came from the girl herself. An hour or so after sunset, Kileen called her children to bed claiming there to be much work to do in the morning and that "Miss Kestral" was probably tired from her day out. As soon as the children had been tucked into their beds in the next room, Kileen came back to the kitchen, poured two cups of spiced tea and sat down across from me. She gave me the cup and I stared at it for a moment before taking a rather large gulp. It was hot. My tongue was burned, but I didn't notice. "What did you do today?" she asked conversationally.

"Nothing." I despaired in a soft voice. "Absolutely nothing."

"Nothing is the clay for something." she said simply.

"Yes, but this was worthless nothing."

"Nothing can never be worthless!" the woman said with a brilliant smile. "It's nothing!"

I had to grin. She was right of course. "How is Pavel?" I asked, hoping that she hadn't been up to see him and thus ran the risk of catching the plague.

I would never forgive myself if Kileen or any of her family caught the plague. "He's strong." she said after a moment. "The plague will take longer to kill him. He has a fever and goes between sweating hot and shivering cold. Most of the time he's awake, but occasionally he'll lapse into sleep, which I think gives him a brief respite from his pain."

"You shouldn't endanger yourself like that. Stay away from him. I'll stay home tomorrow and care for him. Leave us meals at the top of the stairs."

"You can't just sit and watch him die."

She was right, of course. If I tried to protect Kileen, I'd be killing Pavel. But Amendel had said that he was looking for the cure as well. Maybe he could do it alone. But no, he had said that he needed me. That was why he wanted to marry me. Not for the first time in my life, did I wish I had grown up a simple girl, without the traditions and training of a bard father and a paladin mother. But then the plague might have killed me as well. The future and past were a mess of threads waiting to be woven into Time's tapestry or already woven and tangling into tiny knots that I could never untie and fix.