Light Wrapped In Darkness 6
Magicman: Now before I begin, I'd like to address an issue that has come up. Certain people who shall remain nameless have been repeatedly reviewing to tell me to write more. I am not capable of writing out a new chapter every single day. I have schoolwork, and other fics to write. So it takes time to go from chapter to chapter. Screaming about it simply won't help. Anyway, I'd better get writing. Thank you for your patience.
"Where's the butterfly?"
Viconia asked the question as she leaned against a big tree and watched the others set up camp. She looked around, annoyed that the object of her question wasn't around to torment.
Needless to say, she was bored. They had been walking all day and she was tired and grumpy and ready to take it out on someone. So naturally she turned to the younger elf to entertain her, but she wasn't there. This irritated Viconia, who really wanted something to do. She could always help set up camp...but no. She was bored but not THAT bored.
A thought occurred to her and she glanced seductively at Taurus. The half drow wasn't looking at her however. He was looking about the camp. Viconia wrinkled her nose and pouted.
"Where is Aerie?" Taurus echoed.
Jaheira straightened up, her back cracking from lugging firewood into the camp. "Ugh" she groaned as she stretched. "I think she went off to the river."
"She really shouldn't wander off like that". Taurus stood up and began to walk across the camp. "I'm going to check up on her," he said. "If I'm not back in three days the avenge my death." He walked off into the forest whistling tunelessly.
Nalia watched him go from where she was trying to start a fire with Yoshimo. "Isn't he worrying over nothing?" she asked as she held two sticks together and started rubbing them.
The thief shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. It doesn't really matter, does it? But did you see the look on Viconia's face? It looks like she just swallowed a lemon."
Nalia glanced over. The drow woman was indeed glaring at the forest where Taurus had gone into. "Ah, she probably just wants attention. A lot of nobles that I know are the same way. Am I doing this right?"
"No. You have to rub against the grain."
***
Taurus walked through the forest in the direction of the small river that they had located. As he walked, the Crintri thought.
"Now" he said to himself, "What in Mystra's name could Aerie be doing out here?" He stepped over a couple tree roots thoughtfully before answering himself. "Maybe she just wanted to be alone for a while. Hanging around a camp full of frantic adventurers is not prone to concentration."
"On the other hand" he added, "She knows how dangerous it is to be alone. There're bandits and slavers that'd kill to find a beautiful elf maid alone in the woods."
"She is a big girl. She could take care of herself. One spell and she's out of sight and out of mind. Still, I'd be happier knowing that she was safer." Taurus walked on contemplatively before stopping and frowning. "Why am I talking to myself?"
It wasn't far to the river. Taurus' keen ears could already hear the current. He could also hear splashing. Curious, he walked a few more paces and came to a small clearing at the edge of the river. It was a tranquil little place. Trees rose up from the banks and the chirping of frogs echoed through the rushes. Slightly embarrassed, Taurus paused for a moment, feeling out of place in his black armour and sword harness.
As his eyes passed over a stretch of water, Taurus froze. Floating in the river like some divine water goddess swam Aerie. The elf washed herself in the swift waters but that wasn't what had caught Taurus' attention, for she was completely naked. He caught one swift glimpse at her lithe form standing in waist high water, her long blonde hair clinging wetly to her, before coming to his senses and clapping his hands over his eyes.
He heard a startled gasp and guessed that Aerie had heard the noise.
"Taurus!" she shrieked. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Um..." Taurus was completely tongue-tied.
This time Aerie's voice was high and indignant. "I can't believe this! You watched me while I was bathing? You pervert!"
Taurus found his voice and, like any good male caught in such a position, immediately began to protest his innocence. "No! You've got it wrong! I was just worried about you! Please don't turn me into a chicken or something" he added rather pitifully.
There was a short moment of silence followed by a snort of laughter. "Taurus" Aerie tried to sound stern but she just couldn't manage it. "Oh forget it. I couldn't stay mad at you anyway. Just stay put and don't open your eyes, okay?"
Quite frankly, Taurus didn't need to open his eyes to envision Aerie naked. Saying so would have been unpolitic however, and would probably result in him getting a smack in the head. So he just stood there stewing in his own juices while the rustle of clothing went on. When Aerie finally told him to open his eyes, he cautiously pulled his hands away from his face and managed to look a blushing Aerie in the eye.
"Well" he said, "That was embarrassing."
The young elf nodded and fiddled with a strand of wet hair. She opened her mouth to say something but then quickly shut it. "L-lets get back to camp, shall we?" she stammered and turned and hurried into the forest without waiting for an answer. Taurus' eyes automatically went to her swaying hips as she walked and he shook his head vigorously before following.
They had travelled halfway back to the camp before Aerie suddenly turned to Taurus and blurted out "Do you think I'm ugly?"
"Er, what?"
Aerie sighed sadly and fiddled with a strand of hair. "While I was bathing...I took a look at the scars on my back where my wings used to be. Do they...do they really make me homely? Am I ugly to you?"
Taurus thought back to the incident at the river. "To be honest, I never really got a look at them" he said.
Aerie bit her lip and slowly turned her back to him. She reached back and undid the buttons at the back of her dress with some difficulty. Slowly she parted the fabric and pulled it down slightly. She took a step backwards, towards Taurus so he could get a better look. He approached with some trepidation. Her skin was soft and smooth looking, but it was broken in two long lines of scar tissue. Taurus had seen a lot of scars and he could tell that these were made most painfully. He suppressed a shiver as a mental image of vicious men wielding rusty knives came to mind.
Aerie seemed to know what he was thinking. She pulled her dress back up and did up the buttons. "I had been a slave to the circus for a year". The words came to her with difficulty and they were weighed down with memory. "The showman kept me locked in a cage where the people could watch me. I wasn't allowed to move and my beautiful white wings became disease ridden. I begged him to let me go but he kept me in that cage until the day. I was barely conscious from the pain when they came for me. The showman and his men dragged me out onto a bench. They tied me down. They took out knives and held them over a fire until they were hot. And then..."
Aerie could no longer continue. She raised her hands to her face and wept silently into them. She felt a strong presence next to her and she turned and flung her arms around Taurus and cried into his chest. The Crintri just held her gently.
Finally she stopped crying and just lay exhausted against him. She felt a hand move up her body and stroke her hair comfortingly. Finally she sighed and pushed away, refusing to meet his eyes. "I must seem very pitiful to you Taurus, crying over a memory like that."
"Now that's not true." Taurus placed a finger under Aerie's chin and lifted her eyes to meet his kindly face. "You've been through a lot in life and you feel upset about it. That's normal. But you also have the courage to go on and pick up where you left off."
"But don't you think that it's pathetic to whine over it like this?"
Taurus cocked his head and smiled crazily. "Hell, you should hear me whining about my life!"
"You?!"
"Oh yeah. I just don't let anyone but Jaheira hear it. She's the only one with the patience, and I think that it's starting to wear thin!"
Aerie giggled. "Oh Taurus (tee hee!), you make me laugh!"
Taurus bowed gallantly and kissed the back of Aerie's hand, causing her to blush. "Then I am glad milady. Would you do me the honour of allowing me to escort you back to camp?"
Aerie accepted his arm and let him lead her back to the camp, managing not to giggle again.
When they were almost there, he leaned down to her ear and murmured, "You know, I never answered your question."
Aerie looked at him questioningly.
"You asked me if your scars made you look ugly," Taurus said. "I think they make you look even more beautiful." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and strolled into camp, leaving Aerie to stare in shock.
***
De'Arnie Hold was a perfectly normal looking keep. It had a moat, a drawbridge, and stout stone walls. The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was the twenty or so heads stuck on poles along the path to the gate. They were rather fresh looking too. The eyes were still gaping out at the companions, although some were filled with writhing maggots. The mouths hung open and the unusually hot wind 'whooshed' through the hair.
As the companions moved nearer, one of the heads moved. A large cockroach wriggled its way out of the mouth and crawled up the face. Aerie looked like she was going to throw up. Nalia covered her mouth and ran into some nearby bushes where she did throw up. Even Jaheira and Viconia paled at the sight of the vicious brutality.
It pissed Minsc off something fierce.
"Oh the evil that has done this must suffer a lesson to the buttocks, and my boot shall be the teacher!"
"Yeehah!" yelled Lila. "You tell 'em big guy!"
Taurus just watched, stroking the hilt of his katana dispassionately.
After a moment, Nalia recovered and rejoined the group, her face pale and sickly but determined. "Well" she said, "It looks like they've taken the keep. We should find the palisade. Anybody still alive would go there."
Nalia started to go off but Jaheira caught her shoulder and dragged her back.
The druid looked at her sternly. "Child I think that it is time for you to tell us what we are to face here. Who has invaded your keep?"
Nalia bit her lip and sighed in resignation. "Well I guess that you're right. I'm sorry, but whenever I told anyone else they always quit the job! You have a right to know though so I'll tell you. We are fighting trolls."
Taurus whistled.
"The trolls attacked us a few days ago" Nalia continued. "I figure that they were driven onto our lands by the elves or some new towns up north. Either way, they were breaking down our defences and father ordered me to go and get help. Auntie refused to leave. She's stubborn like that. I hope it doesn't get her killed. I'd probably be the only one to mourn her." This last was muttered under her breath. Aloud, she said "So we should probably get to the palisade, like I said before. Any guards who got out alive will be there."
Taurus nodded. "Alright then. To the palisade".
"That won't be necessary drow!" A half dozen or so soldiers stepped out into the open and trained their bows on the party.
Minsc and Yoshimo tensed and Taurus' hand strayed to his katana. Before they could attack though, Nalia rushed in between the two groups, her hands flailing wildly. "Stop!" She turned to the soldiers and placed her hands on her hips.
"Is this how you treat visitors upon our land?" she demanded.
The man who seemed to be the leader hesitantly lowered his bow. "Forgive me Miss Nalia, but I did not see you there. I saw only a group of suspicious characters with drow amongst them and I thought to do my duty and protect the keep."
"Your loyalty to your duty is commendable sir but strangers are not to be treated so shabbily. Do you understand?"
The soldier lowered his head and the rest put away their bows. "Yes ma'am."
"Good. Now" Nalia smiled, "Please take us to captain Arat. My companions and I would like to speak to him regarding the invasion."
"Of course miss." The guards turned and began to walk. The companions followed slowly, talking amongst themselves.
Viconia sidled up to Taurus and lay a hand on his arm. "Abbil" she said slowly in the drow tongue, of which he spoke a little. "We should leave now."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"You saw how they looked at me; how they looked at you. They will not let us help them. They are quite simply too afraid, these rivvin."
Taurus sighed with frustration. "They don't know what they're afraid of and it doesn't matter. I promised that I'd help and I always keep my promises, no matter if they hate me or not."
Now it was Viconia's turn to sigh in frustration. "You are going to get us all killed one of these days."
Taurus looked at her carefully. "If you want to leave you can go right now."
"Hah!" she barked, lifting her nose in the air. "Do you think that I will run from battle? The Night Singer would not run and neither will I!"
"That's the spirit!" Taurus slapped her on the back, caught her when she nearly fell over, and smiled apologetically when she glared at him.
The companions were brought to a small wooden fortress, commonly known as a palisade. Made from logs sharpened at the tips, it had one entrance and it was guarded by more De'Arnise soldiers. At the sight of the heavily armed and armoured adventurers, the guards drew their swords and prepared to defend the fort to the death. They relaxed when Nalia waved a hand at them.
"Relax" she said. "They're here to help."
The guards looked unhappy about it, but they let them through the gate and into the palisade. Inside was a table with maps and various weapons upon it. A grizzled man in heavy armour stood by the table. He was grey-haired, but he wore his armour with pride and his sharp features regarded the companions thoughtfully.
"So" he said with a voice that had seen much in its time. "You're the ones who Miss Nalia brought, aye? Well then ye don't look like much but you're all we've got." He looked at Taurus square in the eyes. "I'll say it right now. I don't care if you're drow or priests of Lathander come to deliver gifts to the children. If you're here to help then you've got my full support".
Taurus nodded with pleased surprise. "Thank you. And who's full support have I got?"
The man straightened with pride. "I am captain Arat, lord De'Arnise's chief man at arms. And the situation here is dire. The trolls attacked a few days ago and they brought help. A gang of Yuan-ti fought on their side and they had some Umberhulks. They dug through the cellar and hit the walls at the same time so we were attacked from above and below. We fought hard but were killed almost to the last man and could barely escape. Lord De'Arnise stayed behind to assemble the pieces of his flail and we lost contact. I just hope that they'll ask for ransom..."
Taurus looked at the map on the table and frowned. It depicted the keep and the surrounding landscape. "From the looks of things, a frontal assault would just get us all killed. Do you have any ideas for that?"
"Miss Nalia can show you folk a back door into the castle. It's fairly common knowledge and she's used it often enough." He looked sideways at Nalia who looked away, embarrassed.
"If you can get to the gate controls" Arat continued, "We can attack the courtyard and draw away attention from you. It's not much but I dislike sitting around and doing nothing."
"That's an excellent plan captain!"
Arat nodded. "Thank you Miss Nalia. Anyway, Lord De'Arnise and his sister are still in the keep so you should find them. If you can kill the leader then the others will likely flee. Here, take these."
Arat turned to the table and picked up a small quiver of arrows. They were carved with runes along the shaft of the weapon. He handed them to Taurus who passed them to Yoshimo and Nalia. "They're arrows of Fire. Remember that these are trolls. You need to hit them with fire or acid when they fall down or they'll regenerate again. Good luck and may the Gods be with you."
Viconia snorted. "My Goddess is always with me." She stalked from the palisade, snapping at the guards who nearly drew their weapons as she passed.
Taurus smiled. "She means 'thanks'."
***
"Ow! Mystra damn it, who planted so many thorns along the walls?!" Taurus cradled a hand that had been gashed open as he tried to push aside a thorny vine that covered the secret entrance. He glared in irritation at the four women who watched from inside the passage while he, Minsc, and Yoshimo suffered numerous cuts and scratches.
Jaheira snorted. "Don't be scowling at me fearless leader. It's not my fault that we were all small enough to fit through the foliage."
"Besides" Viconia smirked, obviously enjoying his discomfiture, "Pain makes you look rather attractive."
"And what am I?" Yoshimo muttered to Minsc as he wrestled back a particularly stiff vine. "Diced horse meat?"
Minsc didn't answer. He was too busy ripping at a thick batch of vines while Lila offered advice such as "Lift with your back" and "More elbow grease maybe?"
At long last the vines were cleared away and the men strode victoriously into the secret passageway as if they had just fought a mighty red dragon. There was some rather sarcastic applause and some giggling from the women before the moved on. Two locked doors, which Nalia and Yoshimo picked, later they came to a small hallway and another secret door.
Nalia strode up to the wall and pointed to it. "This leads into the servant quarters. I like to go there sometimes so I'm pretty familiar with the area. Auntie doesn't approve but I don't care" she added unnecessarily. "We should be quiet from now on. There may be trolls around every corner."
Taurus nodded and drew his swords. Yoshimo pulled out his bow and nocked an arrow while Jaheira readied her staff and Minsc wielded Lilracor. Aerie and Viconia stood behind the fighters, though the drow held her mace as though she wanted to use it. Nalia gave a push on the stone wall and it opened easily. She slid in quietly and the rest followed.
Almost immediately, they came upon a monstrous troll. Aerie stared in fascination. She had never seen a troll this close before. The beast had yellowish green skin that was covered with scabs and other tiny growths. It shook its head in apparent rage and its mane of hair tossed about. It turned its head and thrust its beak-like nose at the companions and glared at them with its squinty eyes. It let loose a howl of primal rage and charged forward with a speed that was astonishing for so large a beast. With one enormous hand it picked up Yoshimo and hurled the thief across the room to crash onto a servant's bed.
Jaheira was knocked to the ground by a tremendous blow and an audible crack sounded as she hit a chest. Taurus slashed at the beast's arm. The troll roared in pain and punched him in the chest. The crintri gasped and fell to the floor as the wind was knocked out of him. Even as it roared in victory, its arm was healed and made whole.
Minsc bellowed and attacked the troll, swinging Lilracor in a wide arc. With surprising dexterity it caught the sword and began to wrestle with Minsc. A flurry of Magic Missiles rushed overhead as Nalia chanted a spell at the troll. With a growl of irritation, the troll pushed Minsc back and the ranger stumbled over Taurus' prone form. Then it turned to the three spellcasters.
Viconia cried out a prayer to Shar and a sword of fire materialised in her hand. "I fight for Shar this day beast!" she yelled in challenge. "Prepare to meet your end!"
"Viconia are you insane? Get back here!" Aerie's shout was unheeded and the drow rushed forward, nimbly dodging the troll's claws and slicing skilfully. The flaming blade bit deeply and the fiery after damage sealed the wound open. The troll roared yet again and swung wildly, destroying a bookcase. Nalia let loose with a Chromatic Orb and Aerie, shaking her head ruefully, cast an Armour spell upon the drow.
Two arrows fired from the far side of the room and lodged into the monster's leg. Yoshimo was back on his feet and firing arrows. The enraged troll turned to attack but was tackled from behind by Minsc. Jaheira thrust at the troll with her own fiery sword and the beast screamed as it was pierced through the heart. A wave of fire consumed the troll and suddenly it was quiet in the room as they all stared at a smouldering pile of ash that had once been a fearsome troll.
Aerie hurried over to Taurus and began to heal him where he lay. He looked up at her with eyes that smiled despite the pain.
"Ah adventuring" he smiled. "Sure, it can get you killed faster than a dwarf will drain a jug of ale but who would ever give up the thrill, the gold, and the pretty women for a dull, safe career of accounting?"
***
After speaking with Daleson the companions spilt into two groups. Jaheira took Minsc Nalia and Viconia to go look for Lord De'Arnise's magical flail while Taurus Aerie and Yoshimo went to open the gate. They all agreed (assuming that they all lived) to meet in the kitchen by the stairs.
The sun still shone rather brightly as Taurus Aerie and Yoshimo stepped into the courtyard of the keep. Taurus blinked a bit at the sun and squinted through the light. Right away he noticed a large Otyugh slithering towards them, its tentacles waving. He groaned in irritation.
"Oh for Mystra's sake" he groaned, "I don't have time for this!"
Taurus pointed his hands at the slimy monster and chanted powerful magical words. The air surged with power and a fireball hurled from his hands. It missed the monster by four feet but it was killed in the ensuing fireball anyway. The results were a crispy mess that smelled almost like burnt bacon. The Crintri smirked and dusted off his hands dramatically. "Well that took care of that."
Yoshimo walked up to Taurus. "Rule number one: When you are trying to be silent, fireballs are not a good idea."
"Oh".
The Otyugh aside, the courtyard was unguarded. Apparently the trolls didn't think that it was worth guarding.
The Yuan-ti were another story.
No sooner had the trio reached the stone steps that led up to the bridge control then they were set upon by four Yuan-ti. Unlike the trolls, these bizarre creatures were quite intelligent. They had all clustered around the base of the stairs so that the enemy would have no choice but to come at them head on. They hissed and brandished their longswords and waited for the attack.
Taurus swore loudly and drew his swords. "I wish I hadn't used that fireball" he muttered.
"That's what you get for not being silent". Yoshimo drew his katana and moved to support Taurus while Aerie stayed behind them.
The snake men slithered forward to attack and ganged up on the men two to one. They were decently skilled fighters and forced them to stand back to back. In doing so however, they forgot about the elf girl. Aerie swung her staff and struck one in the back of the head. It hissed in irritation and whirled on her, slashing wildly.
The elf walked up behind one of them daintily and bashed it in the head with her staff.
Unfortunately Aerie was rather weak. The blow wouldn't even have hurt a human very much. It barely annoyed the thick-skulled snake man. However she did manage to piss it off something fierce. It whirled around and thrust its sword at her, skewering her in the leg. She cried out in pain as she fell to the floor.
Taurus shouted and lunged forward but the other Yuan-ti moved to block his path. The monster that hit Aerie raised its sword to strike her blonde head off. It was too slow however. The elf had managed to grasp a potion bottle and yanked out the stopper with her teeth. She poured the contents down her throat as the blade whistled down.
The sword struck Aerie's neck with a dull clang. The Yuan-ti stared at its notched weapon in surprise. Suddenly it whirled and threw its sword at Taurus' head then slithered away as fast as possible.
Taurus finished off his last opponent and rushed over to Aerie in gut- wrenching concern. He needn't have worried. She had swallowed a stoneform potion at the last second and she had survived the attack. She sat up with difficulty, due to both her leg wound and her current state of near petrification. She winced.
Taurus lifted her to her feet. "Don't worry" he soothed. "I'll fix you up in a jiffy." He concentrated for a moment and his hands began to glow. He let his power drift into Aerie and heal her like he had Viconia. The elf sighed in relief as her wound closed.
"Thanks" she said. She let Taurus hold her for a moment longer before pushing away and standing carefully under her own weight. She winced slightly but managed to stand. She gave a grateful smile at Taurus who hemmed and hawed.
"I'm fine too. You know, just in case anybody cares."
Yoshimo had killed one of his opponents and sent the other one slithering to safety. He now stood glaring at the two elves. "Now" he continued "I would like to get moving before they get reinforcements. Is that okay with you two?"
Taurus exchanged a glance with Aerie who shrugged her stony shoulders. "Okay."
"Good". Yoshimo turned and slunk up the steps grumpily. Taurus followed close behind, mimicking him for Aerie's amusement. Aerie smothered a giggle and clumped after them slowly.
The gate controls were guarded by a large troll that stared resolutely over the wall and onto the ground below, as if expecting an attack. It clearly wasn't expecting such an attack from behind and was consequently surprised when Yoshimo jammed his sword in its back. Its gurgling scream of rage and pain was smothered as the thief fired an arrow of Fire into it, turning it to ash.
Taurus and Aerie meanwhile were trying to unlock the gate control. They both tugged on the wheel but something seemed to have jammed it shut and it wasn't budging. Taurus kicked it viciously and only hurt his foot.
Finally Aerie got sick of it and cast Strength upon herself. She took the wheel in her hands and gave a mighty heave. It resisted a moment longer before coming free suddenly. Surprised, Aerie fell over as the chain released and clattered down. The drawbridge plummeted ever faster until it landed with a deafening crash on the opposite side of the moat.
Yoshimo watched and sighed. 'Well we may as well give up on silence.' Aloud he said, "Come on. They'll have heard that. We'd better regroup with the others now."
A horn sounded from the direction of the palisade and soon it became mixed with war cries. Twenty or so soldiers dressed in the uniform of the De'Arnise house guards burst from the woods. Swords and bows drawn, they ran across the field and onto the drawbridge without hindrance.
"Well" Taurus said as he watched them spread through the courtyard, "It looks like the keep has been reinvaded." He smiled but let it fall almost instantly. "That was horrible."
Yoshimo nodded. "Oh yeah."
"Well I guess we should et back with the others..." Taurus trailed off as a large troop of trolls and Yuan-ti burst from the interior. The soldiers didn't hesitate. They charged at the monsters with the ferocity of people who's homes have been wrenched from their grasp.
"Well good luck you two" Yoshimo said to Aerie and Taurus. "I'm meeting the others alone. It'll be safer."
"Now wait a minute-" started Taurus but it was too late. Yoshimo had vanished into the shadows of the overhanging battlements. When the Crintri ran to catch up with him he was long gone. "Damn it!"
Aerie looked down at the raging battle nervously. "We're not going down there are we?"
Taurus looked down too and immediately shook his head. "No. There's no way that we'd be able to make it through that mess. We'll have to try a different route." He glanced at Aerie. "You ready?"
The elf could only nod and grip her staff tightly. She followed Taurus, walking swiftly along the top of the wall. Their path down took them down the stairs right to the very edge of the battle where humans, trolls, and Yuan-ti slaughtered each other with mindless blood lust. They skirted the edge of the battle and crept along the wall until they came to a door. Taurus nodded at the door and opened it slowly so as not to draw attention.
A heart-wrenching cry made Aerie whirl around. A human soldier had been impaled upon a troll's claws. As he writhed in agony the tip of the fingers poked through his back and the beast ripped open his guts with its other hand. The elf girl trembled and rushed past Taurus into the open doorway to find herself in a small library. He followed more slowly, closing the door behind him and when he turned around he was greeted with the sight of Aerie's shaking back. She didn't want him to see her cry.
"Hey" he asked her not unkindly, "Are you all right?"
Aerie hurriedly wiped her eyes. "Y-yeah" she stuttered. "I'm...I'm just fine." She looked back up, more composed. "Shouldn't we be going now?"
Taurus wasn't fooled in the slightest. He just looked at her compassionately for a moment. Slowly Aerie's brave face crumbled and was stripped away, leaving a frightened girl in its place. Tears trickled from her face and Taurus took her in his arms and comforted her gently.
"Why do people hurt?" she asked, her voice muffled in Taurus' shoulder. He sighed before he answered.
"I honestly don't know Aerie" he said softly. "It just happens."
"Thank you for being honest with me Taurus" she said again, still facing his chest.
Taurus smiled. "Your welcome". He leaned down to give her a friendly kiss on the cheek. At that moment Aerie flinched at all the pent up emotions she was feeling; fear, adrenaline, sorrow, and some she couldn't even place yet. Her head twitched and Taurus' lips came down upon hers.
Taurus held his breath for a moment completely stunned at what he had just done. His first impulse was to pull away but he hesitated and continued to taste those sweet warm lips.
Aerie's eyes widened in shock. She should pull away now. Then she let them fall closed on all her worries and kissed him back, shivering in delight as she felt those strong close around her waist and draw her close. Never in her 76 years of life did she think that her first kiss would be like this.
Then Taurus pulled away from her. Suddenly cold without those safe comforting arms around her Aerie looked up into Taurus' icy eyes. The ice had melted and the turmoil within was visible. 'He's worried that he's offended me'. The thought occurred to the elf girl and she smiled to let him know that that wasn't the case. She patted his hand reassuringly and she could have sworn that Taurus was blushing under that dark skin.
"Well" he said at length. "I suppose that we should meet up with the others now?"
Aerie simply nodded. She followed Taurus out the room with a smile on her face.
Magicman: There! I've got it done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you didn't then you have only yourselves to blame. ^_^
Magicman: Now before I begin, I'd like to address an issue that has come up. Certain people who shall remain nameless have been repeatedly reviewing to tell me to write more. I am not capable of writing out a new chapter every single day. I have schoolwork, and other fics to write. So it takes time to go from chapter to chapter. Screaming about it simply won't help. Anyway, I'd better get writing. Thank you for your patience.
"Where's the butterfly?"
Viconia asked the question as she leaned against a big tree and watched the others set up camp. She looked around, annoyed that the object of her question wasn't around to torment.
Needless to say, she was bored. They had been walking all day and she was tired and grumpy and ready to take it out on someone. So naturally she turned to the younger elf to entertain her, but she wasn't there. This irritated Viconia, who really wanted something to do. She could always help set up camp...but no. She was bored but not THAT bored.
A thought occurred to her and she glanced seductively at Taurus. The half drow wasn't looking at her however. He was looking about the camp. Viconia wrinkled her nose and pouted.
"Where is Aerie?" Taurus echoed.
Jaheira straightened up, her back cracking from lugging firewood into the camp. "Ugh" she groaned as she stretched. "I think she went off to the river."
"She really shouldn't wander off like that". Taurus stood up and began to walk across the camp. "I'm going to check up on her," he said. "If I'm not back in three days the avenge my death." He walked off into the forest whistling tunelessly.
Nalia watched him go from where she was trying to start a fire with Yoshimo. "Isn't he worrying over nothing?" she asked as she held two sticks together and started rubbing them.
The thief shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. It doesn't really matter, does it? But did you see the look on Viconia's face? It looks like she just swallowed a lemon."
Nalia glanced over. The drow woman was indeed glaring at the forest where Taurus had gone into. "Ah, she probably just wants attention. A lot of nobles that I know are the same way. Am I doing this right?"
"No. You have to rub against the grain."
***
Taurus walked through the forest in the direction of the small river that they had located. As he walked, the Crintri thought.
"Now" he said to himself, "What in Mystra's name could Aerie be doing out here?" He stepped over a couple tree roots thoughtfully before answering himself. "Maybe she just wanted to be alone for a while. Hanging around a camp full of frantic adventurers is not prone to concentration."
"On the other hand" he added, "She knows how dangerous it is to be alone. There're bandits and slavers that'd kill to find a beautiful elf maid alone in the woods."
"She is a big girl. She could take care of herself. One spell and she's out of sight and out of mind. Still, I'd be happier knowing that she was safer." Taurus walked on contemplatively before stopping and frowning. "Why am I talking to myself?"
It wasn't far to the river. Taurus' keen ears could already hear the current. He could also hear splashing. Curious, he walked a few more paces and came to a small clearing at the edge of the river. It was a tranquil little place. Trees rose up from the banks and the chirping of frogs echoed through the rushes. Slightly embarrassed, Taurus paused for a moment, feeling out of place in his black armour and sword harness.
As his eyes passed over a stretch of water, Taurus froze. Floating in the river like some divine water goddess swam Aerie. The elf washed herself in the swift waters but that wasn't what had caught Taurus' attention, for she was completely naked. He caught one swift glimpse at her lithe form standing in waist high water, her long blonde hair clinging wetly to her, before coming to his senses and clapping his hands over his eyes.
He heard a startled gasp and guessed that Aerie had heard the noise.
"Taurus!" she shrieked. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Um..." Taurus was completely tongue-tied.
This time Aerie's voice was high and indignant. "I can't believe this! You watched me while I was bathing? You pervert!"
Taurus found his voice and, like any good male caught in such a position, immediately began to protest his innocence. "No! You've got it wrong! I was just worried about you! Please don't turn me into a chicken or something" he added rather pitifully.
There was a short moment of silence followed by a snort of laughter. "Taurus" Aerie tried to sound stern but she just couldn't manage it. "Oh forget it. I couldn't stay mad at you anyway. Just stay put and don't open your eyes, okay?"
Quite frankly, Taurus didn't need to open his eyes to envision Aerie naked. Saying so would have been unpolitic however, and would probably result in him getting a smack in the head. So he just stood there stewing in his own juices while the rustle of clothing went on. When Aerie finally told him to open his eyes, he cautiously pulled his hands away from his face and managed to look a blushing Aerie in the eye.
"Well" he said, "That was embarrassing."
The young elf nodded and fiddled with a strand of wet hair. She opened her mouth to say something but then quickly shut it. "L-lets get back to camp, shall we?" she stammered and turned and hurried into the forest without waiting for an answer. Taurus' eyes automatically went to her swaying hips as she walked and he shook his head vigorously before following.
They had travelled halfway back to the camp before Aerie suddenly turned to Taurus and blurted out "Do you think I'm ugly?"
"Er, what?"
Aerie sighed sadly and fiddled with a strand of hair. "While I was bathing...I took a look at the scars on my back where my wings used to be. Do they...do they really make me homely? Am I ugly to you?"
Taurus thought back to the incident at the river. "To be honest, I never really got a look at them" he said.
Aerie bit her lip and slowly turned her back to him. She reached back and undid the buttons at the back of her dress with some difficulty. Slowly she parted the fabric and pulled it down slightly. She took a step backwards, towards Taurus so he could get a better look. He approached with some trepidation. Her skin was soft and smooth looking, but it was broken in two long lines of scar tissue. Taurus had seen a lot of scars and he could tell that these were made most painfully. He suppressed a shiver as a mental image of vicious men wielding rusty knives came to mind.
Aerie seemed to know what he was thinking. She pulled her dress back up and did up the buttons. "I had been a slave to the circus for a year". The words came to her with difficulty and they were weighed down with memory. "The showman kept me locked in a cage where the people could watch me. I wasn't allowed to move and my beautiful white wings became disease ridden. I begged him to let me go but he kept me in that cage until the day. I was barely conscious from the pain when they came for me. The showman and his men dragged me out onto a bench. They tied me down. They took out knives and held them over a fire until they were hot. And then..."
Aerie could no longer continue. She raised her hands to her face and wept silently into them. She felt a strong presence next to her and she turned and flung her arms around Taurus and cried into his chest. The Crintri just held her gently.
Finally she stopped crying and just lay exhausted against him. She felt a hand move up her body and stroke her hair comfortingly. Finally she sighed and pushed away, refusing to meet his eyes. "I must seem very pitiful to you Taurus, crying over a memory like that."
"Now that's not true." Taurus placed a finger under Aerie's chin and lifted her eyes to meet his kindly face. "You've been through a lot in life and you feel upset about it. That's normal. But you also have the courage to go on and pick up where you left off."
"But don't you think that it's pathetic to whine over it like this?"
Taurus cocked his head and smiled crazily. "Hell, you should hear me whining about my life!"
"You?!"
"Oh yeah. I just don't let anyone but Jaheira hear it. She's the only one with the patience, and I think that it's starting to wear thin!"
Aerie giggled. "Oh Taurus (tee hee!), you make me laugh!"
Taurus bowed gallantly and kissed the back of Aerie's hand, causing her to blush. "Then I am glad milady. Would you do me the honour of allowing me to escort you back to camp?"
Aerie accepted his arm and let him lead her back to the camp, managing not to giggle again.
When they were almost there, he leaned down to her ear and murmured, "You know, I never answered your question."
Aerie looked at him questioningly.
"You asked me if your scars made you look ugly," Taurus said. "I think they make you look even more beautiful." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and strolled into camp, leaving Aerie to stare in shock.
***
De'Arnie Hold was a perfectly normal looking keep. It had a moat, a drawbridge, and stout stone walls. The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was the twenty or so heads stuck on poles along the path to the gate. They were rather fresh looking too. The eyes were still gaping out at the companions, although some were filled with writhing maggots. The mouths hung open and the unusually hot wind 'whooshed' through the hair.
As the companions moved nearer, one of the heads moved. A large cockroach wriggled its way out of the mouth and crawled up the face. Aerie looked like she was going to throw up. Nalia covered her mouth and ran into some nearby bushes where she did throw up. Even Jaheira and Viconia paled at the sight of the vicious brutality.
It pissed Minsc off something fierce.
"Oh the evil that has done this must suffer a lesson to the buttocks, and my boot shall be the teacher!"
"Yeehah!" yelled Lila. "You tell 'em big guy!"
Taurus just watched, stroking the hilt of his katana dispassionately.
After a moment, Nalia recovered and rejoined the group, her face pale and sickly but determined. "Well" she said, "It looks like they've taken the keep. We should find the palisade. Anybody still alive would go there."
Nalia started to go off but Jaheira caught her shoulder and dragged her back.
The druid looked at her sternly. "Child I think that it is time for you to tell us what we are to face here. Who has invaded your keep?"
Nalia bit her lip and sighed in resignation. "Well I guess that you're right. I'm sorry, but whenever I told anyone else they always quit the job! You have a right to know though so I'll tell you. We are fighting trolls."
Taurus whistled.
"The trolls attacked us a few days ago" Nalia continued. "I figure that they were driven onto our lands by the elves or some new towns up north. Either way, they were breaking down our defences and father ordered me to go and get help. Auntie refused to leave. She's stubborn like that. I hope it doesn't get her killed. I'd probably be the only one to mourn her." This last was muttered under her breath. Aloud, she said "So we should probably get to the palisade, like I said before. Any guards who got out alive will be there."
Taurus nodded. "Alright then. To the palisade".
"That won't be necessary drow!" A half dozen or so soldiers stepped out into the open and trained their bows on the party.
Minsc and Yoshimo tensed and Taurus' hand strayed to his katana. Before they could attack though, Nalia rushed in between the two groups, her hands flailing wildly. "Stop!" She turned to the soldiers and placed her hands on her hips.
"Is this how you treat visitors upon our land?" she demanded.
The man who seemed to be the leader hesitantly lowered his bow. "Forgive me Miss Nalia, but I did not see you there. I saw only a group of suspicious characters with drow amongst them and I thought to do my duty and protect the keep."
"Your loyalty to your duty is commendable sir but strangers are not to be treated so shabbily. Do you understand?"
The soldier lowered his head and the rest put away their bows. "Yes ma'am."
"Good. Now" Nalia smiled, "Please take us to captain Arat. My companions and I would like to speak to him regarding the invasion."
"Of course miss." The guards turned and began to walk. The companions followed slowly, talking amongst themselves.
Viconia sidled up to Taurus and lay a hand on his arm. "Abbil" she said slowly in the drow tongue, of which he spoke a little. "We should leave now."
"Oh? And why is that?"
"You saw how they looked at me; how they looked at you. They will not let us help them. They are quite simply too afraid, these rivvin."
Taurus sighed with frustration. "They don't know what they're afraid of and it doesn't matter. I promised that I'd help and I always keep my promises, no matter if they hate me or not."
Now it was Viconia's turn to sigh in frustration. "You are going to get us all killed one of these days."
Taurus looked at her carefully. "If you want to leave you can go right now."
"Hah!" she barked, lifting her nose in the air. "Do you think that I will run from battle? The Night Singer would not run and neither will I!"
"That's the spirit!" Taurus slapped her on the back, caught her when she nearly fell over, and smiled apologetically when she glared at him.
The companions were brought to a small wooden fortress, commonly known as a palisade. Made from logs sharpened at the tips, it had one entrance and it was guarded by more De'Arnise soldiers. At the sight of the heavily armed and armoured adventurers, the guards drew their swords and prepared to defend the fort to the death. They relaxed when Nalia waved a hand at them.
"Relax" she said. "They're here to help."
The guards looked unhappy about it, but they let them through the gate and into the palisade. Inside was a table with maps and various weapons upon it. A grizzled man in heavy armour stood by the table. He was grey-haired, but he wore his armour with pride and his sharp features regarded the companions thoughtfully.
"So" he said with a voice that had seen much in its time. "You're the ones who Miss Nalia brought, aye? Well then ye don't look like much but you're all we've got." He looked at Taurus square in the eyes. "I'll say it right now. I don't care if you're drow or priests of Lathander come to deliver gifts to the children. If you're here to help then you've got my full support".
Taurus nodded with pleased surprise. "Thank you. And who's full support have I got?"
The man straightened with pride. "I am captain Arat, lord De'Arnise's chief man at arms. And the situation here is dire. The trolls attacked a few days ago and they brought help. A gang of Yuan-ti fought on their side and they had some Umberhulks. They dug through the cellar and hit the walls at the same time so we were attacked from above and below. We fought hard but were killed almost to the last man and could barely escape. Lord De'Arnise stayed behind to assemble the pieces of his flail and we lost contact. I just hope that they'll ask for ransom..."
Taurus looked at the map on the table and frowned. It depicted the keep and the surrounding landscape. "From the looks of things, a frontal assault would just get us all killed. Do you have any ideas for that?"
"Miss Nalia can show you folk a back door into the castle. It's fairly common knowledge and she's used it often enough." He looked sideways at Nalia who looked away, embarrassed.
"If you can get to the gate controls" Arat continued, "We can attack the courtyard and draw away attention from you. It's not much but I dislike sitting around and doing nothing."
"That's an excellent plan captain!"
Arat nodded. "Thank you Miss Nalia. Anyway, Lord De'Arnise and his sister are still in the keep so you should find them. If you can kill the leader then the others will likely flee. Here, take these."
Arat turned to the table and picked up a small quiver of arrows. They were carved with runes along the shaft of the weapon. He handed them to Taurus who passed them to Yoshimo and Nalia. "They're arrows of Fire. Remember that these are trolls. You need to hit them with fire or acid when they fall down or they'll regenerate again. Good luck and may the Gods be with you."
Viconia snorted. "My Goddess is always with me." She stalked from the palisade, snapping at the guards who nearly drew their weapons as she passed.
Taurus smiled. "She means 'thanks'."
***
"Ow! Mystra damn it, who planted so many thorns along the walls?!" Taurus cradled a hand that had been gashed open as he tried to push aside a thorny vine that covered the secret entrance. He glared in irritation at the four women who watched from inside the passage while he, Minsc, and Yoshimo suffered numerous cuts and scratches.
Jaheira snorted. "Don't be scowling at me fearless leader. It's not my fault that we were all small enough to fit through the foliage."
"Besides" Viconia smirked, obviously enjoying his discomfiture, "Pain makes you look rather attractive."
"And what am I?" Yoshimo muttered to Minsc as he wrestled back a particularly stiff vine. "Diced horse meat?"
Minsc didn't answer. He was too busy ripping at a thick batch of vines while Lila offered advice such as "Lift with your back" and "More elbow grease maybe?"
At long last the vines were cleared away and the men strode victoriously into the secret passageway as if they had just fought a mighty red dragon. There was some rather sarcastic applause and some giggling from the women before the moved on. Two locked doors, which Nalia and Yoshimo picked, later they came to a small hallway and another secret door.
Nalia strode up to the wall and pointed to it. "This leads into the servant quarters. I like to go there sometimes so I'm pretty familiar with the area. Auntie doesn't approve but I don't care" she added unnecessarily. "We should be quiet from now on. There may be trolls around every corner."
Taurus nodded and drew his swords. Yoshimo pulled out his bow and nocked an arrow while Jaheira readied her staff and Minsc wielded Lilracor. Aerie and Viconia stood behind the fighters, though the drow held her mace as though she wanted to use it. Nalia gave a push on the stone wall and it opened easily. She slid in quietly and the rest followed.
Almost immediately, they came upon a monstrous troll. Aerie stared in fascination. She had never seen a troll this close before. The beast had yellowish green skin that was covered with scabs and other tiny growths. It shook its head in apparent rage and its mane of hair tossed about. It turned its head and thrust its beak-like nose at the companions and glared at them with its squinty eyes. It let loose a howl of primal rage and charged forward with a speed that was astonishing for so large a beast. With one enormous hand it picked up Yoshimo and hurled the thief across the room to crash onto a servant's bed.
Jaheira was knocked to the ground by a tremendous blow and an audible crack sounded as she hit a chest. Taurus slashed at the beast's arm. The troll roared in pain and punched him in the chest. The crintri gasped and fell to the floor as the wind was knocked out of him. Even as it roared in victory, its arm was healed and made whole.
Minsc bellowed and attacked the troll, swinging Lilracor in a wide arc. With surprising dexterity it caught the sword and began to wrestle with Minsc. A flurry of Magic Missiles rushed overhead as Nalia chanted a spell at the troll. With a growl of irritation, the troll pushed Minsc back and the ranger stumbled over Taurus' prone form. Then it turned to the three spellcasters.
Viconia cried out a prayer to Shar and a sword of fire materialised in her hand. "I fight for Shar this day beast!" she yelled in challenge. "Prepare to meet your end!"
"Viconia are you insane? Get back here!" Aerie's shout was unheeded and the drow rushed forward, nimbly dodging the troll's claws and slicing skilfully. The flaming blade bit deeply and the fiery after damage sealed the wound open. The troll roared yet again and swung wildly, destroying a bookcase. Nalia let loose with a Chromatic Orb and Aerie, shaking her head ruefully, cast an Armour spell upon the drow.
Two arrows fired from the far side of the room and lodged into the monster's leg. Yoshimo was back on his feet and firing arrows. The enraged troll turned to attack but was tackled from behind by Minsc. Jaheira thrust at the troll with her own fiery sword and the beast screamed as it was pierced through the heart. A wave of fire consumed the troll and suddenly it was quiet in the room as they all stared at a smouldering pile of ash that had once been a fearsome troll.
Aerie hurried over to Taurus and began to heal him where he lay. He looked up at her with eyes that smiled despite the pain.
"Ah adventuring" he smiled. "Sure, it can get you killed faster than a dwarf will drain a jug of ale but who would ever give up the thrill, the gold, and the pretty women for a dull, safe career of accounting?"
***
After speaking with Daleson the companions spilt into two groups. Jaheira took Minsc Nalia and Viconia to go look for Lord De'Arnise's magical flail while Taurus Aerie and Yoshimo went to open the gate. They all agreed (assuming that they all lived) to meet in the kitchen by the stairs.
The sun still shone rather brightly as Taurus Aerie and Yoshimo stepped into the courtyard of the keep. Taurus blinked a bit at the sun and squinted through the light. Right away he noticed a large Otyugh slithering towards them, its tentacles waving. He groaned in irritation.
"Oh for Mystra's sake" he groaned, "I don't have time for this!"
Taurus pointed his hands at the slimy monster and chanted powerful magical words. The air surged with power and a fireball hurled from his hands. It missed the monster by four feet but it was killed in the ensuing fireball anyway. The results were a crispy mess that smelled almost like burnt bacon. The Crintri smirked and dusted off his hands dramatically. "Well that took care of that."
Yoshimo walked up to Taurus. "Rule number one: When you are trying to be silent, fireballs are not a good idea."
"Oh".
The Otyugh aside, the courtyard was unguarded. Apparently the trolls didn't think that it was worth guarding.
The Yuan-ti were another story.
No sooner had the trio reached the stone steps that led up to the bridge control then they were set upon by four Yuan-ti. Unlike the trolls, these bizarre creatures were quite intelligent. They had all clustered around the base of the stairs so that the enemy would have no choice but to come at them head on. They hissed and brandished their longswords and waited for the attack.
Taurus swore loudly and drew his swords. "I wish I hadn't used that fireball" he muttered.
"That's what you get for not being silent". Yoshimo drew his katana and moved to support Taurus while Aerie stayed behind them.
The snake men slithered forward to attack and ganged up on the men two to one. They were decently skilled fighters and forced them to stand back to back. In doing so however, they forgot about the elf girl. Aerie swung her staff and struck one in the back of the head. It hissed in irritation and whirled on her, slashing wildly.
The elf walked up behind one of them daintily and bashed it in the head with her staff.
Unfortunately Aerie was rather weak. The blow wouldn't even have hurt a human very much. It barely annoyed the thick-skulled snake man. However she did manage to piss it off something fierce. It whirled around and thrust its sword at her, skewering her in the leg. She cried out in pain as she fell to the floor.
Taurus shouted and lunged forward but the other Yuan-ti moved to block his path. The monster that hit Aerie raised its sword to strike her blonde head off. It was too slow however. The elf had managed to grasp a potion bottle and yanked out the stopper with her teeth. She poured the contents down her throat as the blade whistled down.
The sword struck Aerie's neck with a dull clang. The Yuan-ti stared at its notched weapon in surprise. Suddenly it whirled and threw its sword at Taurus' head then slithered away as fast as possible.
Taurus finished off his last opponent and rushed over to Aerie in gut- wrenching concern. He needn't have worried. She had swallowed a stoneform potion at the last second and she had survived the attack. She sat up with difficulty, due to both her leg wound and her current state of near petrification. She winced.
Taurus lifted her to her feet. "Don't worry" he soothed. "I'll fix you up in a jiffy." He concentrated for a moment and his hands began to glow. He let his power drift into Aerie and heal her like he had Viconia. The elf sighed in relief as her wound closed.
"Thanks" she said. She let Taurus hold her for a moment longer before pushing away and standing carefully under her own weight. She winced slightly but managed to stand. She gave a grateful smile at Taurus who hemmed and hawed.
"I'm fine too. You know, just in case anybody cares."
Yoshimo had killed one of his opponents and sent the other one slithering to safety. He now stood glaring at the two elves. "Now" he continued "I would like to get moving before they get reinforcements. Is that okay with you two?"
Taurus exchanged a glance with Aerie who shrugged her stony shoulders. "Okay."
"Good". Yoshimo turned and slunk up the steps grumpily. Taurus followed close behind, mimicking him for Aerie's amusement. Aerie smothered a giggle and clumped after them slowly.
The gate controls were guarded by a large troll that stared resolutely over the wall and onto the ground below, as if expecting an attack. It clearly wasn't expecting such an attack from behind and was consequently surprised when Yoshimo jammed his sword in its back. Its gurgling scream of rage and pain was smothered as the thief fired an arrow of Fire into it, turning it to ash.
Taurus and Aerie meanwhile were trying to unlock the gate control. They both tugged on the wheel but something seemed to have jammed it shut and it wasn't budging. Taurus kicked it viciously and only hurt his foot.
Finally Aerie got sick of it and cast Strength upon herself. She took the wheel in her hands and gave a mighty heave. It resisted a moment longer before coming free suddenly. Surprised, Aerie fell over as the chain released and clattered down. The drawbridge plummeted ever faster until it landed with a deafening crash on the opposite side of the moat.
Yoshimo watched and sighed. 'Well we may as well give up on silence.' Aloud he said, "Come on. They'll have heard that. We'd better regroup with the others now."
A horn sounded from the direction of the palisade and soon it became mixed with war cries. Twenty or so soldiers dressed in the uniform of the De'Arnise house guards burst from the woods. Swords and bows drawn, they ran across the field and onto the drawbridge without hindrance.
"Well" Taurus said as he watched them spread through the courtyard, "It looks like the keep has been reinvaded." He smiled but let it fall almost instantly. "That was horrible."
Yoshimo nodded. "Oh yeah."
"Well I guess we should et back with the others..." Taurus trailed off as a large troop of trolls and Yuan-ti burst from the interior. The soldiers didn't hesitate. They charged at the monsters with the ferocity of people who's homes have been wrenched from their grasp.
"Well good luck you two" Yoshimo said to Aerie and Taurus. "I'm meeting the others alone. It'll be safer."
"Now wait a minute-" started Taurus but it was too late. Yoshimo had vanished into the shadows of the overhanging battlements. When the Crintri ran to catch up with him he was long gone. "Damn it!"
Aerie looked down at the raging battle nervously. "We're not going down there are we?"
Taurus looked down too and immediately shook his head. "No. There's no way that we'd be able to make it through that mess. We'll have to try a different route." He glanced at Aerie. "You ready?"
The elf could only nod and grip her staff tightly. She followed Taurus, walking swiftly along the top of the wall. Their path down took them down the stairs right to the very edge of the battle where humans, trolls, and Yuan-ti slaughtered each other with mindless blood lust. They skirted the edge of the battle and crept along the wall until they came to a door. Taurus nodded at the door and opened it slowly so as not to draw attention.
A heart-wrenching cry made Aerie whirl around. A human soldier had been impaled upon a troll's claws. As he writhed in agony the tip of the fingers poked through his back and the beast ripped open his guts with its other hand. The elf girl trembled and rushed past Taurus into the open doorway to find herself in a small library. He followed more slowly, closing the door behind him and when he turned around he was greeted with the sight of Aerie's shaking back. She didn't want him to see her cry.
"Hey" he asked her not unkindly, "Are you all right?"
Aerie hurriedly wiped her eyes. "Y-yeah" she stuttered. "I'm...I'm just fine." She looked back up, more composed. "Shouldn't we be going now?"
Taurus wasn't fooled in the slightest. He just looked at her compassionately for a moment. Slowly Aerie's brave face crumbled and was stripped away, leaving a frightened girl in its place. Tears trickled from her face and Taurus took her in his arms and comforted her gently.
"Why do people hurt?" she asked, her voice muffled in Taurus' shoulder. He sighed before he answered.
"I honestly don't know Aerie" he said softly. "It just happens."
"Thank you for being honest with me Taurus" she said again, still facing his chest.
Taurus smiled. "Your welcome". He leaned down to give her a friendly kiss on the cheek. At that moment Aerie flinched at all the pent up emotions she was feeling; fear, adrenaline, sorrow, and some she couldn't even place yet. Her head twitched and Taurus' lips came down upon hers.
Taurus held his breath for a moment completely stunned at what he had just done. His first impulse was to pull away but he hesitated and continued to taste those sweet warm lips.
Aerie's eyes widened in shock. She should pull away now. Then she let them fall closed on all her worries and kissed him back, shivering in delight as she felt those strong close around her waist and draw her close. Never in her 76 years of life did she think that her first kiss would be like this.
Then Taurus pulled away from her. Suddenly cold without those safe comforting arms around her Aerie looked up into Taurus' icy eyes. The ice had melted and the turmoil within was visible. 'He's worried that he's offended me'. The thought occurred to the elf girl and she smiled to let him know that that wasn't the case. She patted his hand reassuringly and she could have sworn that Taurus was blushing under that dark skin.
"Well" he said at length. "I suppose that we should meet up with the others now?"
Aerie simply nodded. She followed Taurus out the room with a smile on her face.
Magicman: There! I've got it done. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you didn't then you have only yourselves to blame. ^_^