Chapter 11 -:o Where the wild roses grow o:-
The town of Beregost, which Ged's small group had entered several hours earlier to rest and recuperate was a small town dominated by the nearby temple of Lathander, the Morning Lord. Imoen had told Ged that the Most Radiant Kelddath Ormlyr of Lathander, head of the temple, also acted as the governor of the town. A rather unusual arrangement, but from what the others had told him of the town's history, it seemed to work rather well.
The sun was beginning to dip towards the horizon.
Ged inspected the contents of the small bag rather critically. He had just sent Imoen and Garrick away, after enduring one question too many about his spell component purchases. The young bard had been particularly irritating, trying to impress Imoen with his wildly inaccurate descriptions of the magical wonders he had encountered in the course of his 'far-ranging' adventures. Jaheira had originally foisted those two on him, 'just in case', but Ged's patience had soon run out, what with Imoen's constant irreverence and wizard jokes and Garrick's oafish and naive remarks.
After sending the pair away he had made his final purchase, components for a spell currently beyond his ability. Hold Person would a potent aid in combat and it needed the iron rods he had just obtained to work. It was the most powerful spell contained in the book Imoen had given him.
Ged sighed, thinking of the days when such power might be his. Flying through the air without wings, changing miscreants into squirrels or summoning powerful spirits and beings to aid him.
Feeling a pang of regret at disobeying Jaheira's strict demand that he head right back to Feldepost's Inn after making his purchases, Ged decided instead to head for the temple. He would need to get the leather strips he had acquired from a farmer blessed by a priest. Otherwise they would be of no use when casting Armor, his main protection against threats from bounty hunters.
The wizard enjoyed the sight of buildings around him, it had been so long since he had been anywhere else than Candlekeep, that even this small town stirred his blood with it's scant offerings. Besides, the air was fragrant and slightly cooler than it had been earlier. Ged decided to enjoy himself a little before joining his combatative little group. It was better to listen to birds singing than Xzar's maddening non-sequitors or endure the wounded Montaron's vicious temper.
In the middle of the short trek through farmland to the temple, he noticed what he took to be wild roses growing some distance away. On a whim he decided to pick some, knowing that Sleep could be cast using rose petals in the place of sand.
"And it will be a nice gesture to Jaheira, giving her one of these..." he mused as he collected some of the fragrant flower petals, placing them carefully in his pouches but saving the largest rose intact for the druidess. Perhaps it would mollify Jaheira's anger at his lateness.
He heard steps behind him, someone wearing heavy boots.
Ged whirled around a saw a rugged looking dwarf, clad in chain mail and wielding a battle axe. The dwarf stopped and cursed under his breath. Ged realized that the grim looking fellow had followed him and tried to sneak up on him while he was preoccupied with the flowers.
He instantly knew the peril he was in and cursed his folly for not listening to Jaheira.
The dwarf snarled an oath and charged him, swinging with his axe.
Ged leaped to the side, dodging the blow but falling painfully and twisting his ankle. He yelled in pain, drawing an amused snort from his assailant.
"No use in struggling, lad. Jes' let ol' Karlat end it. Now, stay still, thass a good lad!" the dwarf chuckled, again lunging at Ged like a viper, moving quickly despite his clumsy appearance and stocky build.
Once again, the cold and calm hand that had guided him twice already took over. As time seemed to slow down, Ged waited for the last moment until rolling from under the axe blow.
With a furious oath, the dwarf managed to bury the blade of his weapon into the earth instead of the young wizard's skull. Somehow, Ged (or whatever it was that was guiding him) had anticipated this. The wizard drew Gorion's old dagger and struck upwards in a quick stabbing motion, taking the advantage of his low position and hitting the dwarf under the hem of his chainmail hauberk.
"Yeaargh!" Karlat screamed in pain and surprise, stumbling backwards and wrenching Ged's weapon away from him.
Not having any spells left commited to his memory, Ged painfully stood up, leaning on his staff. He noted the pain throbbing in his foot, but ignored it as if it were nothing more than a mosquito bite. With some difficulty, he wrenched the dwarf's stuck axe free and held it ready with one hand. Somewhere inside his mind, Ged was surprised that he even knew how to correctly hold the weapon. He had never practiced with other weapons than his staff.
Shooting a furious look at him, Karlat pulled the dagger from his wounded thigh with a grunt and inspected it gingerly. Blood dripped from the blade and the wound, falling to the dry earth.
"Ye tricky lil' git! I'll poke out yer eyes wiv' me fingers and piss in yer skull fer that!" the dwarf snarled and lunged at him again, though moving somewhat slower and stiffer this time. Ged raised his axe and holding it from near the end of the handle, swung it horizontally at the charging dwarf. His stolen weapon connected at the side of the dwarf's head, shattering both the helmet he wore and the skull beneath it.
The dwarf stumbled and fell, dead before he hit the ground.
Ged regarded the corpse silently for a few moments. He felt the cold 'killer instinct' release him from it's grasp, and dropped the bloodied axe from his hands. He felt the pulsing waves of pain in his ankle and tasted the rising bile in his throat. His hands were shaking and suddenly he felt sick all over.
The wizard fell on all fours right next to his dead foe and threw up violently until nothing would come up anymore. He felt miserable and afraid, having killed a person for the first time. The mindless, carrion feeding gibberlings had been completely different. This was a foe who had died cursing his name and watching him into the eyes. Flies were beginning to buzz around Karlat's shattered skull. Ged couldn't bear the sight of the dwarf's empty, almost accusing eyes. He rose up, somewhat painfully and turned the short and stocky corpse over so it lay on it's stomach. He noticed a scroll that the dwarf had rolled up and stuck in his belt.
Ged took it and rolled it open and read it, not very surprised to see the same bounty notice that the wizardly assassin at Friendly Arm had carried.
As if in a daze, the young wizard rose and started to limp back towards the town. He stopped only to pick up the wild rose he had intended for Jaheira, but the act was purely instinctive. His thoughts were in turmoil and the only real idea in his head was to return to Feldepost's. He left Karlat laying there, in the shadow of the wild rose bush, covered by his own cloak and killed by his own axe.
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As Ged arrived to the Inn, he saw that the three merchants they had saved had orchestrated a small celebration to honor the group. Wine and other alcohol seemed to be freely available, and Ged saw that Garrick was already roaring drunk. The young bard was dancing on the table with Imoen to the delight of the other patrons, who were shouting encouragement and singing several different songs, in several different keys.
Khalid and Jaheira were nowhere in sight, and Montaron was also missing. Xzar was attending, however. The mad wizard sat alone in a corner table, sipping wine and looking at the festivities with a sardonic look on his tattooed face.
Feldepost's had been described as the nicest inn in Beregost, and at other times Ged could have certainly appreciated it's fine furnishings and friendly atmosphere. Hoping Imoen wouldn't notice him, he snuck to a quiet looking corner table and slouched down, feeling miserable. A barmaid brought him a mug of ale and said something in a merry tone but Ged didn't hear her or even attempt to listen. In his mind he saw his own hand raising the axe and make the killing stroke, over and over again.
He had killed the dwarf, but not without giving in to... what? He didn't know the answer. There was something inside of him that knew how to kill. What's worse, that 'something' enjoyed the act of killing and forced him to enjoy it as well whether he wished to or not.
Ged shuddered, remembering the glee he had felt in some horrific, unnatural way. It didn't occur to him that the dwarf would have killed him without mercy.
"He-eeello there, young man!"
Ged's head snapped up, and he saw a very curvaceous middle-aged woman, dressed in bold and revealing, if quite expensive clothing. She was tall and her hair was shockingly red against her pale skin. The woman was staring at him with hungry eyes, swaying gently as if trying to steady herself.
She was obviously quite heavily drunk.
"What a lovely flower!" she cooed, plucking the wild rose from Ged's hand. The wizard hadn't even remembered holding the flower, and his astonished gaze made the woman erupt into laughter.
"You are so cute! What is your name, beautiful child?" she inquired, sitting into his table and wildly signalling to the barmaid by waving her arm as if it was on fire.
"Ged. I mean, Gedragon my lady." Ged stammered, as the woman caressed his cheek and stared directly into his eyes, obviously enjoying his discomfort.
"Gedh-rah-gohn..." she purred, as if tasting each syllable. "You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, Gedragon..." she continued, edging closer.
The barmaid arrived and brought a full bottle of wine, which the woman immediatly poured into two goblets.
"My name, mine sweet dah-ling, is Lady Gyllian Mynegau, of the Waterdeep Mynegau's."
Ged tasted the wine out of politeness, not wanting to appear crass. To his surprise, he found it to be quite excellent and furthermore, soothing. It cooled his burning conscience. He drained his goblet and was relieved to find some of the tension leave his body. Smiling like a fox in the henhouse, Lady Gyllian filled his goblet to the brim.
"You are thirsty, you poor dear! I was told by Faltis Bearfist- you remember him darling? The man you and your brave associates rescued from that horrid little wench?" Lady Gyllian paused until Ged nodded, somewhat morosely. He had emptied his second goblet, and his new friend wasted no time in filling the third.
"A business associate of my husband... Late husband, that is." she said with a wink.
"Yes, Faltis told us that you are a wizard. I just... adore wizards- that is, of course, if they are as cute as you are darling. Do you have any spells you could... show me?" Lady Gyllian purred, edging even closer.
Ged could smell the wine on her breath, but after the day's harsh experiences the wine had already gone to his head. The woman's gaze held him as if hypnotised. Lady Gyllian was about twice his age, but she was a fine looking woman and her lewd and cunning manner soon won over the young wizard's inhibitions. For some reason, she seemed to get even more excited when Ged told her that the flower was a wild rose.
Soon another bottle was ordered.
Ged was finishing his sixth goblet when he felt a wave of nausea wash over him. Excusing himself he ran out of the smoke-filled common room and breathed greedily at the fresh night air. He had to lean on the wall to keep from falling, and cursed himself aloud. Ged had never drunk much, certainly not to excess in any case, and this was his first real experience in being intoxicated. He heard footsteps behind him and turned smiling, thinking that Lady Gyllian had followed him out.
She had not. He had time to see the man and his rapidly approaching fist before the latter collided with his face and knocked him senseless.
Ged woke shortly after, his head submerged under water. He panicked and started thrashing when someone's strong arms lifted his head up from his hair and tossed him to ground. Blearily stumbling to his feet, Ged saw that his head had been dunked into a water barrel by the larger one of two big and quite angry looking men.
"W-what ish- is the meaning of this!" he demanded, backing away from the pair.
"Stinking 'venturer! You and your kind of scum is what's the matter!" the larger, bearded man snarled, taking a threatening step towards the young wizard.
"Whu-? I've done nothing to you! Leave me alone!" Ged shouted, hoping someone would hear.
"Done nothing!"
Ged's reply seemed only serve to enrage the bearded man.
"DONE NOTHING! You call my son nothing, you little bastard! It was your kind of thoughtless fools who twisted his mind and made him go and get himself killed! Your kind of people are nothing more than filth, flashing your evil magic and stolen gold around so ordinary, good Chauntea-fearing children get confused and throw away their lives!"
"I didn't kill your son, I don't even know his or your name!" Ged stammered, trying to clear his head.
"My name is none your business!" the man snarled, taking a quick step forward and burying his fist in Ged's stomach.
The young wizard fell down, gasping in pain.
Then he felt it, the answering cold tendril somewhere in his soul beckoned, trying to assert itself. It scared Ged to his core.
He had to try and fight it.
Swallowing hard, he tried to concentrate on what the man had said. Slowly and carefully he rose up, leaning on the wall for support. He tried desperately to steady his rapid breathing and think.
His son. The man had lost his son.
"I know how you feel." he said aloud.
The man's eyes flew wide open and he raised his fist again, but stayed the punch as Ged looked into his eyes with sudden calmness that unsettled the angry man.
"I lost my father, two days ago. He was killed and I couldn't protect him, I was too weak." Ged said simply, noticing his nose was bleeding. He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.
The bearded brute let his hand drop, and his friend laid a hand to the man's shoulder in a gesture of support or perhaps just sympathy.
"I didn't set out to become an adventurer, I was forced to it. My father died, trying to save my life."
"All well and good, but it don't change nothing!" the bearded man shot back, but his tone wasn't so furious anymore.
"I didn't know your son, sir, but I can imagine he was impressed by all the stories he was told. I was too, once. I too, wanted to grow up a hero who made his own mark on the world."
The bearded man looked sullen.
"I don't see what that has to do with Kennair! He had given up those dreams, I know it! He wanted to become a farmer-"
Ged interrupted the man, merely by continuing to look in his eyes.
"My father died protecting me, he chose that. You son, Kennair, died adventuring because he chose to. Or did someone force him away in chains? The Realms call and you go. You should be glad your son was able to choose his own destiny."
"You know nothing!" the man screamed, tears flowing down his face. "He wanted to settle down, I know it! He-"
His friend had been silently listening until then. "Marl, fun is fun an' all." he cut it.
"I don't mind rough an' tumble wiv some of the more caddish sort, but yer blamin' this boy for nothing. Kennair was never going to settle down, an' ye know it! Do ye remember the new plow he bought for ye, an' how happy ye were?"
Marl merely nodded, and his friend sighed and lowered his head.
"He got the gold fer it, killing kobolds and goblins near Ulgoth's Beard. The boy died doing what he wanted, like the lad here said. It was jes' Kennair had Black Bess laughing at 'im instead of bein' favored by th' Lady."
Marl was silent now, his harsh breathing interrupted only by an occasional sob.
"Come inside, sirs, and I'll drink a toast to your sons memory." Ged offered.
Marl stood silent for a brief moment, before a slight, shameful grin softened his grim visage.
"Thank you, lad. I-I'm sorry about hitting you."
Ged merely smiled, feeling elated. The cold 'killer instinct' had sunk below the surface of his subconscious, at least for the present.
He led the men inside and drank the toast, praising the memory of Kennair Nethalin, aged nineteen, who had attempted to loot the famed ruins of the Ulcaster School of Wizardry and perished in the attempt.
It wasn't long after that until Lady Gyllian found him again. The woman was alarmed at seeing his wounded nose and insisted on taking the young wizard to her lodgings. Ged tried to find the strength to resist, but the trauma of the day and the additional goblets Lady Gyllian served him quickly crumbled his resistance.
As they were walking towards the manor where the lady was living during her visit to the town, Ged saw the wild rose he had picked for Jaheira in Gyllian's hair. When the woman noticed his stare she gave a small frivolous giggle before explaining.
"I was known as the Wild Rose during my... earlier years. I was a wild and temperamental debutante then, nothing like the refined lady you are currently escorting, darling."
She stopped walking and turned to face the young, quite drunk wizard.
"I. Adore. Wild roses."
Gyllian circled her arms around Ged's neck and pressed her body against his.
"Thank you for such a lovely gift. I shall pay you back in full..."
Then she drew him close and kissed him deeply and passionately, the first time anyone had ever kissed Ged like that. And even though her breath smelled of wine and her manner was quite crass, Ged couldn't help but be drawn to her. He needed something to distract him, something to counter the abyss he had come face to face with today.
He held her tighter and kissed her throat, which caused her to giggle again and take a quick, playful nip at his ear.
"There you are!"
Jaheira's voice cut through his happy haze of wine and passion like a knife.
Ged turned to see the furious druidess limp to face him, Khalid timidly following with Imoen, who was eyeing the voluptous 'Wild Rose', her eyes wide as saucers.
"We have been looking all over Beregost for you! I was certain somehing had happened, that some assassin had got the jump on you and made off with you head!" she screamed, her voice reverbrating through the empty street.
"Juh-Jaheira...?" Khalid tried to interject, but lost his nerve as his wife spun around in rage.
"And where were you two? Getting drunk with that young imbecile of a bard, who I heard passed out on the floor! I had to rise up from my sick bed to look for this- this young hedonist! Really Gedragon..." she turned to regard him with burning eyes, "Try using some of that sense your father was so famous of possessing. Say good bye to your... friend. We have to wake up early tomorrow, and I don't want to start looking for you all around this town!"
Her mention of Gorion blew away the remnants of Ged's elated mood, and reminded him of his current predicament.
As furious as Jaheira was, Imoen could hardly repress her amusement. Lady Gyllian bid the young wizard good night and kissed him in such a way that both Ged AND Khalid blushed. The group courteously escorted her to the manor, but when the door closed behind the dissapointed noblewoman, Imoen burst out laughing and wouldn't stop until they reached the inn.
-:o Next episode: On the road o:-
