Chapter 10

Ryltar

The morning dawned and I awoke with Linu in my arms, she still slept soundly snoring lightly. After we had buried Fenthick leaving Aribeth to grieve in private, we had rented a room at the Musical Bard. I had to persuade the Inn keeper to allow me to pay for part of the room charge. After much arguing he gave in. I slipped out of the bed and quickly dressed. I looked over my amour with dismay, after all the constant wear and tear and combat I had been through over the past few weeks, it was starting to tear in several places. "A warrior with out amour is a warrior destined to die." I thought recalling an old saying that Wulfgar had told me once after one of our sparring matches. "If only Drizzt could see me now." I thought "He'd be impressed with my accomplishments."

"Ryltar?" Linu said feeling the bed empty.

"I'm right here Linu, I'm thinking about getting some new amour. Do you want to rest, or do you wish to go with me?" I said strapping on my weapon's belt.

She sat up, and got out of bed. "I guess I'll go with you, I too could use some new amour. I can use the money Lord Nasher gave me. I didn't feel right taking it but he wouldn't let me go till I did."

"Yes I too was held, I thought at one point he'd have the guards hold me down while he stuffed it in my pockets." I said laughing

Linu returend it saying "Ha ha Yes that would be an interesting site. One I wouldn't mind helping with." She said with a smile.

"Linu, you will be the end of me yet." I said still tired from our last bout two days before.

"I didn't mean it that way dear." She said with a wink

"Sure you didn't. Now are you going to get ready or are you going like that to the amour smith?" I said.

"Hmmm... maybe I should get dressed." Linu said.

After waiting for fifteen minutes waiting for Linu to get ready, we headed out to the amour smith's shop. It was nearby and I expected would just be opening around now.

"Well here you are, I spent the night at Nytar's grove cause I figured you'd be going at it like rabbits again." Mayra said walking up to us.

"No, nothing happened last night. We needed rest after everything that has occurred." I said rubbing Mayra on the ears.

"What can't keep up?" Mayra said jokingly

"Well... it's not that, it's just that Aribeth is having a hard time dealing with Fenthick's death. We didn't think it was right. Plus we were dead tired." I said

Walking along into the amour smith shop I looked around for a nice looking suite of padded amour. I had found through out my later fights that my leather amour slowed me down, I hoped a simple padded amour would still keep me safe while allowing me more ease of use with my weapons. "Linu why don't we split up and look around for a bit?" I said looking at her, only to discover she had already taken off looking at the suits of Plate Mail on the walls. After several minutes of searching I found a shining suit of padded amour. It fit me perfectly and according to the shopkeeper it was magical, he wasn't lying as I could feel the magical properties coming off of it.

"What magical properties does its have?" I asked.

"Well from what the mage who gave it to me said, it protects you better than a standard suit of padded amour, plus it gives the wearer resistance to many magical effects." the shopkeeper said.

"How much?" I asked hoping I wouldn't have to convince him to allow me to pay for it.

"Umm how's seven hundred gold pieces sound?" he said

"That's a little high how about six hundred gold?" I said back.

"Six seventy five!" he shot back

"Six twenty five!" I said

"Six fifty!" he came back

"Very well six fifty." I said handing him the gold.

"Pleasure doing business with you drow." He said with a smile

Linu bought a fine suit of plate mail it too was magical it gave off a bluish shine, and seemed to allow her more freedom of movement than a normal suit of amour.

"Perhaps we should stop by Aribeth's house and see how she is doing?" Linu said to me.

"Yes I was thinking the same thing." I said.

After a short walk, we were outside Aribeth's house. I reached out my hand and knocked on the door. After several minutes a quiet voice said. "Come in."

Walking inside I said. "Aribeth? It's Ryltar and Linu. We came by to see how you were doing."

Aribeth came into the room as I finished. She looked horrible, her normally radiant face was filled with dark streaks of dried tears. ""Please sit down, I've just returned from Lord Nasher a few hours ago, he's sending Linu, you, and I to Port Last to track down and detain the cult. He's also hiring mercenaries as well. Neverwinter's spy master Arain Gend will be there as well." Aribeth said.

"I think were both more concerned how you are holding up? This must be a terrible strain on you dear." Linu said.

"How I feel is... unimportant to finding the cult. Lord Nasher is depending on both of you to come through once more. We leave for Port Last in the morning, please be outside of Castle Neverwinter an hour after sunrise. The sooner we track down this cult the sooner, they will be brought to justice." She said pounding her fists together.

I was concerned for her, she seemed on edge and trying to hide something. "Aribeth please know that if you need to talk anytime, day or night. Both Linu and I are here for you. As is Mayra if you can get her to speak common, she's pretty stubborn when it comes to her lessons." I said trying to make a joke.

I succeeded as Aribeth smiled slightly laughing lightly. It wasn't much be it seemed to soften the look on her face. "Thank you Ryltar I'll remember that. Please go get some rest for the rest of the day. I get the feeling we'll all need it for the journeys ahead." Aribeth said.

"Very well dear, you should take your own advice too though, you don't look well." Linu said.

"I will Linu, thank you both for stopping by." Aribeth then got up and left the room.

Linu, Mayra and I got up and left locking the door as we did so behind us. "She's not been sleeping well." I said to Linu.

"How can you tell?" Linu asked.

"The rings under her eyes are dark with exhaustion, she either hasn't bee sleeping, or she gets to sleep, only to be woken up." I said.

"Ok dear, let's take Aribeth's advice and just relax for the rest of the day." Linu said

"Want to take a walk through the garden?" I said suggesting something quiet and calming

"Yes Ryltar I'd love that." She said taking a hold of my arm.

End Ryltar

(A/n: yes i know this was a very short chapter like chapter one don't blame me i was running out of ideas on how to rap up chapter one of the game, well its now done I'm going to get started on Chapter two of the game as soon as i do a quick play through of it. Keep your eyes open for chapter 11 some time later this week. Please R/R as always.)