m: Special thanks to the weird poem CD thingy in which I can't remember the name at the moment.

Magicman/Smokegirl: Saronax is a tricky one. He won't show you what path he'll take, and if you ask him he'll tell you to go away. I've been telling him for ages that he looks like a wookie, but never listens to me. I thought that maybe he might listen to Vicky. ;-)

Chapter Four

The next day, Viconia once again sat in front of Saronax, this time in Saronax's tent. Saronax looked at her expectantly. "Well? What do you want?"

"Tell us!" cried Zake.

Mild annoyance flashed through Viconia's eyes, but it was gone a soon as she began to speak. "What do you think of 'love', Saronax? It is a foreign concept. I wish to understand it further."

Saronax began to answer but Zake spoke first. "Love comes with a shiny knife." The blade said in a deadly serious, monotone voice. "Love is a madman. Stripping off his clothes and running through the mountains. Drinking poison."

Viconia and Saronax were silent for several seconds.

"Should I?" Saronax asked.

"Please do." Viconia replied.

Ignoring the sword's protests, Saronax placed Zake in his pack. The fighter sat back down across from his beloved. "I don't think I understand it any more than you do. I know that I love you, and that's been good enough for me."

"I wonder... do I love you, Saronax? I... I do not know. It is difficult to place myself in such a mindset. All I have ever known is cruelty, hatred and bigotry for most of my life." A thoughtful expression crossed her face. "But you have made me question so much that I have known. I have been wondering if there has been anyone but you that I have ever cared for more than myself in my life, if I have always been drow or not."

Saronax was about to say something but saw when he saw that Viconia was going to continue. "The only one I can think of is... Valas. My poor brother. He saved my life to allow me to escape. I miss his jests and his pranks. I miss the moments we would steal, exchanging stories. I never allowed myself to think of him when I fled. I simply saw his sacrifice as beneficial for myself. But I... I miss him, Saronax. I wish he had lived. Is that love, maybe, do you think?"

"I do. Imoen and I have the same relationship. She's the only one besides you that can claim she's seen the real me. 'The person I am under all those crankiness issues,' as she once put it. I love her, but not in the same way as you."

"With you it is different then when I was with Valas. I ache when you are endangered. I long to be with you, and it maddens me when you are not by my side. They are selfish, weak feelings that I want to drive from my heart at moments." An irritable Viconia declared.

Saronax smiled. "I love you too, Vicky."

"Do you think it is possible to have feelings like that for many people? That others, many others, are more important than yourself? Do you think this is how the darthiir, the surface elves, how they feel always? Do you think..do you think they care about their lovers? Their brothers?" A tear trickled down her face.

"Viconia... you're crying..." An astonished and concerned Saronax stated.

"I feel... I feel..." Viconia stammered.

Saronax reached out and pulled her into an embrace. "What do you feel?" The fighter murmured as he stroked her silver hair,

Viconia nestled her head under his chin and allowed herself to find comfort in the simple gesture. "I can't put words to it, Saronax. But it feels good, this ache. I don't want to lose it." She pulled away and looked up at Saronax. "What comes next, Saronax? Is there only companionship? Is there more to this than just a feeling?"

Uneasiness was clear in Saronax's eyes. "I don't know, Viconia. Thinking about the future is not something I enjoy pondering. Anything could happen."

Viconia frowned. "Perhaps you are right, Saronax. Just hold me, then. I cannot sleep, but I want to feel your warmth close to me."

Saronax willingly obliged.

XXXXX

Saronax stood in front of the throne of Bhaal. An armored figure was bathed in green light in the center of the place, absorbing the essence of the Bhaalspawns.

The final battle, Saronax thought grimly.

Viconia walked over to him. The fighter looked down at the cleric, waiting for her to speak.

"We draw close. To the end. Don't we? Very soon, now, your final destiny will be in your hands." Viconia stated.

"It will." Saronax agreed.

"Good. Then I have only one thing I wish to say to you, my m'rann dssinss."

Viconia's grey eyes gazed deeply into Saronax's blue. "It is... something I have never truly said to you, before, because I was unsure if I truly felt that way. I have called you m'rann dssinnss... lover... of my ssinssrigg... my love... but these are drow words. Saying such a thing in drow is a coldness, an injustice, to the true word. And I... I think it is important that I say it to you. At least once. Before this all ends, one way or another. So now, I wish you to hear me say the full phrase."

"Say it then."

"I love you, Saronax."

Saronax's face was completely expressionless as Viconia spoke. "And if this is the last time I see you, know that I will forever be grateful for all that you have done. I will remember you always."

Saronax cupped her face with one of his hands. "I love you too, Viconia." He said softly.

"This is not good-bye. It is just... let me hold you for one moment, Saronax. Let us kiss as if for the last time, so that I may remember this even if nothing else..."

Saronax wrapped his arms around Viconia's waist and pulled her close, pressing a long, lingering kiss to her dark lips. It lasted for some time, both of them determined to forever remember the taste of their lover.

When it was over, Viconia smiled up at Saronax. "...there. Now, my marvelous terror of a man... now we go and finish this."

XXXXX

Saronax let out one final battle cry and plunged Zake deep into Melissan's black heart.

The Solar soon appeared, and Saronax couldn't suppress a satisfied smirk as she dealt with the wannabe goddess.

The Solar turned towards Saronax. "You have two choices, Saronax."

"I know what they are." Saronax replied. The fighter glanced at each of his party members, looking at Viconia for the longest. The drow's eyes were filled with sadness, though she attempted to conceal it with determined, stubborn strength. Saronax turned back towards Solar.

"I choose…"

AM: You knew I was gonna have a cliffhanger eventually. ;-)