CHAPTER 2.1 - Nightmares

Tacitly the two women had decided to leave aside, for the evening, any serious discussion . Arwen felt that it was preferable to relax her friend by speaking to her about banal and merry things, and Aribeth did not feel the courage to discuss her possible treason. The landlord had agreed to provide a second bed. He had acknowledged to them freely that he did not have any more free rooms.

The price he had charged for the meal had stricken Arwen. It was sufficient to rent three rooms! It was only after he had explained how the supply of food was small because of the situation downtown, that she had agreed with reluctance to pay. The cost of the bath was more reasonable and had returned her to a good mood.

One of the girls returned a little afterwards with two plates containing black bread, stew, hard cheese, dried fruits and a pint of milk. She also brought the promised candle.

Arwen drew the shutters closed before lighting the candle. It covered a bit the smell of the room, although the stink was always present. However it was insufficient to put them out of appetite, and according to what she could observe on Aribeth's face , to return some colour to it. She noticed that the stew contained vegetables and meat of which she preferred to be unaware of their identity.

Seeing that Aribeth was merely tasting her food, Arwen lectured her kindly "Ari, you should eat more, you need to gain some strength."

Aribeth passed one hand on her face emaciated by days of fast and nights of nightmare and answered in a tired voice. "I... I am not hungry."

Arwen stopped eating her own meal and inclined her head to the side, fixing her friend's gaze. "Ari, if you do not eat, I shall not speak to you any more." She finished her comment by sticking out her tongue, showing that she was not serious.

Aribeth could not refrain from smiling. "You haven't changed, always so mischievous..." She lowered her head a few moment before looking Arwen in the eyes, "And I hope that you will never change, I appreciate you like that ... you know, this evening with you makes me feel enormously good ." She sighed to drive out the black thoughts, then carried some dry fruit to her mouth. "You are right, though, I must eat."

"We should try to leave Luskan tomorrow, Ari," answered Arwen, lying on her cot. "I would prefer to find another place to sleep, for I do not like at all what I saw in the common room."

"We cannot leave the city, and I do not know another place which would be appropriate for us two," Aribeth answered sadly.

"Why could not we seek refuge within the temple of Tyr?"

Aribeth was immediately upright on her bed, bristling in anger. "To go to see Aarin and all those bastards from Neverwinter?"

Arwen immediately regretted having asked the question which had been burning her lips since the moment she heard that Ari had decamped. "Forgive me Ari ... I did not want to offend you, I thought just that the temple of Ty ..."

Aribeth cut her short, a hint of irritation in her voice. "No more speak of Tyr to me!" She calmed down and lay down again on her bed while trying to contain the tears which glinted in her eyes. "Sorry! I know that you did not have think back there, Arwen, but please, let us speak about other things."

"As you wish my friend ... But this inn nauseates me. I have the unpleasant impression that unseen eyes are on us, and unknown ears overhear what we say."

Aribeth closed her eyes. 'I should tell her, I should ask her to leave for her own safety. I am tired... tired... but I do not want to wound her... not her!' She spoke again with a trembling voice "Tomorrow ... If you want to tomorrow we will seek another shelter. You should rest now."

"Tomorrow morning," agreed Arwen. "Good night, Ari", she added, closing her eyes.

A few moments later the young half-elf slept a deep sleep. Aribeth could not, or rather did not want to find the sleep. Since nights she feared this moment which brought hatred and despair to her. Sitting on her bed she turned her head where her friend rested. 'My poor Arwen, if you knew what I have become. There is no more paradise for me... only the pits of the hell await me.'

Then, seeing the quietude and the softness which emanated from the face of her sleeping friend, a small smile formed on her lips. 'How can she fall asleep whereas so many clouds are accumulating above our heads ... She is so wise in spite of her youth, I should have spoken to her earlier about my problems ... my friend... my only friend.' She remembered their first meeting. The young half-elf, dressed of worn and used clothes, had slipped between the guards of the Castle and had planted herself in front of Aribeth, hands on the hips and had said 'Lady Aribeth de Tylmarande, I have come to put myself at your service!'

The following weeks had been merry in spite of the epidemic which devastated the city. They had quickly became very good friends. Aribeth had finally found somebody with whom she could open her heart. Somebody who patiently listened to her doubts as for the love that Fentick was supposed to feel for her. She closed her eyes, slipping all too gently into a daydream which for once seemed pleasant.

She was running in some woods, playing with the other children of her own age. She saw her father, her mother who awaited her with open arms ... Imperceptibly the thoughts which flowed became less merry ... People shouted around her ... howls, tears, blood ... And suddenly the vacuum ... Her parents and her friends dead in the snow ... Hatred, revenge. The same revenge that had claimed Fentick, now.

The nightmare became more precise, almost as if a person spoke to her. 'Arwen is a ssspy sent by Nassssher. Sssshe isss ssere to trap you. Do not lissssten to her. Sssshe wantsss to ssssteal your revenge. You MUSsssT kill her before it isss too late.'

"NO!" Her cry tore the silence of the room.

Aribeth was raised and hid her sweating face in her hands. 'No, not that! Am I completely mad ? Where are these thoughts coming from?' With a quick glance towards her friend, she made sure that she had not awakened her.

The headache that followed her nightmares had returned. 'It worsens from day to day'. She rose and took in her bag the potion which Fentick had given her. It was supposed to calm her headache. She examined sadly the bottle and drank a mouthful of it.

After that she approached the bed of her friend, who had been moving restlessly, turning in her bed, but she still slept. Still frightened by the horrible ideas which penetrated in her spirit she thought 'I do not manage even more to control my fatal madness ... If I remain here, I will involve Arwen in my descent into Hell.'

Aribeth pulled up the covers on her friend and knelt beside the head of the bed. She could feel Arwen's calm and regular breathing. She saw that her face radiated serenity and confidence.
She pushed back a lock of hair which obscured the face of her friend, gently caressed her cheek with the back of her hand and murmured in her ear. "My young friend, you did not abandoned me like the others. You are the only person who still makes me smile ... But I must protect you from my madness ... It is preferable that I leave you now ... I hope that you will forgive me one day ... I love you as the sister that I never knew ... As the sister who died in the arms of mom ... Forgive me Arwen."

Before standing up she kissed the forehead of her friend, then after a last glance she turned towards her own bed and started to gather her belongings, decided to leave the room before Arwen awakened.

Aribeth's scream had awakened Arwen already. She was about to rise when she was intrigued by the attitude of her friend. Estimating that she was not in immediate danger, she considered it preferable to pretend to be asleep.

She had seen Aribeth drinking a potion, and wondered why she needed it. She had not moved when Aribeth had approached her and had replaced her covers. Nor when the elf had whispered into her ear.

When Aribeth had set out again towards her bed, Arwen had risen silently and had followed her. She was just behind her friend who was closing her bag and apparently too worried to pay attention to the world around her.

Gently, Arwen took the arms of her friend in hers and drew them aside from the bag, then she put her head on Aribeth's shoulder, cheek to cheek. "Ari... It is not wise, you should rest!"

Aribeth had a start "A ... Arwen I thought that you were sleeping?"

"No Ari ... and I heard what you whispered when you came beside my bed."

Aribeth turned to face her friend. A deep feeling of shame and guilt submerged her. She lowered her head like a child caught stealing jam. Biting her lips, she mumbled "Arwen, you should not remain with me ... I am too dangerous ... I cannot control my inner impulses any more."

Clutching her friend to her, Arwen murmured in her ear while patting her back. "Ari, calm down ... If you are able to say no to what disturbed you a few moments ago, then you are still controlling your thoughts."

Aribeth was convinced, not knowing how to explain the horror of the nightmares which haunted her. "Arwen..."

Arwen gently put her hand on the elf's mouth to prevent her from speaking "Sshh, my friend ... Do not speak under the stress of emotion and tiredness. We will speak later. For the moment I would like that you take some rest. Then we will talk calmly ... I would also like to say you that I came here out of my friendship for you and without speaking about it with anybody ... that I fear nothing from you, because I have full confidence in you."

These friendly words pronounced in such a kind tone calmed Aribeth a little . There remained the problem of the nightmares ... "I do not want to sleep ..."

Arwen rested her hand on Aribeth's cheek. "You fear more nightmares?"

With trembling lips Aribeth murmured, "Yes... I am afraid of what is hidden in me."

"Ari, look at yourself! You will not last a very long time without any rest ... Please, rest, I will remain beside you ... Rest thinking about all good that you have done ... Then we will try both to work on your problem."

Aribeth hesitated one moment weighing all the implications of her decision. She knew that she could not avoid Maugrim's agents a long time if she remained within the inn. Before Arwen's arrival that did not disturbed her, and was to the contrary her goal. But now, a small hope had been re-ignited in her. She answered in a low voice, as if she wanted only Arwen to hear "Well, I will listen to your counsel, and then we will seek different shelter." Then she took Arwen's hand and put it to her lips, adding "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, my friend."