The OC and NPC's belong to Obsidian. Some minor errors in grammar were left to enhance the story and dialogue. Some adult language is contained in this chapter. Reviews are welcome.
MEMOIRS OF AN OUTSIDER
Chapter 12: "Just the facts"
Khy met with the impressive Sir Grayson at the City Watch's headquarters. He proceeded to tell her of the code of chivalry and the duties of a squire. She
swore allegiance to Neverwinter and then followed the brave knight to the Solace Glade, for a night of contemplation of her new status. She was
surprised by Shandra, and asked her to stay for a few moments. "You really believe in this stuff". Shandra remarked. "I believe", Khy, said, "That
anyone can make a difference, even someone like me". All at once, they were attacked by Luskan assassins and the training invested in Shandra
paid off. "Is it always like this"? Shandra asked. "Most of the time". Khy replied. Shandra said that she should leave, and told Khy goodbye. The next
morning, Sir Grayson came for her and discovered the bodies of the infiltrators. He seemed pleased that she had withstood the attack, and then escorted
her to see Lord Nasher.
-----
Walking into Castle Never was like floating inside an opulent dream. Khy looked around at the rich furnishings and the people of nobility who resided
there. Sir Grayson led her to the throne room and then presented her to the King. Torio Claven, the Luskan ambassador, was noticeably frustrated to
hear of her new rank and position. Lord Nasher gave her and her comrades permission to investigate the matter of Ember and to leave Neverwinter when
the need arose. She bowed and thanked Lord Nasher and as she turned to leave, Sir Nevalle asked to escort her to the castle gates.
-----
Nevalle had grace and an air of quiet sophistication about him. His silky flaxen hair framed his finely chiseled features and his eyes were a warm, soft
brown. She felt familiar stirrings deep inside her body when he looked at her. "We will not surrender you to those Luskan dogs, my lady". He said as
he kissed her hand. "Thank you Sir Nevalle". She said, feeling her breath quicken with his touch. "Please call me Nevalle, my lady". "I am Khy",
she said gazing into his liquid eyes. "I have heard much about you and the many deeds you have accomplished in the name of Neverwinter."
"We are lucky indeed to have one such as you in the service of our city", he said as he tightened his hold on her hand. Khy did not know what to say
to the handsome knight, as his presence seemed to fill the room around her. "It has been a pleasure meeting you Nevalle". She said. "The pleasure
is mine". He replied with a long inflection on the word pleasure. "My lady Khy, I shall look forward to our next meeting". He said as he kissed her
hand once again and left her standing at the gates.
-----
Everyone was preparing for the journey to Port Llast except Qara. She made the excuse that Duncan needed her to help with the immense crowds that
now frequented the inn. Khy knew that she was upset about the confrontation they had about Sand. Khy did not know why she had acted so irrationally
and wanted to apologize to the sorceress, but every time she approached her, Qara would run away. "Maybe it would be better for all concerned if she
did remain behind". Khy thought. She had talked with each of her companions about the trial and the almost hopeless task of tracking clues to the real
assailants. She told them that it would be their decision if they wanted to accompany her on this journey, which they all agreed to go. They retired early
that night, as they planned to leave at first light for the desperate mission ahead.
-----
The journey to Port Llast was actually more difficult than Khy had surmised. They would have to acquire passage on a barge to cross an inlet of the Sea of
Swords, or go thirty miles further up into the mountains and circle around the cove. The first light snow of the season had fallen that morning and with it a
biting cold wind. The decision was made to make camp early, hoping that the weather would change over night. It was the new moon, and Khy needed to
worship the influential Sune, no matter the climate. Warm clothes were purchased for everyone before leaving the Flagon and Khy hoped her friends
would be all right until they reached Port Llast. She gathered what she would require for her devotional and set out for the small stream about a mile from
camp. Elanee worried that she would become ill from the cold after immersing herself in such frigid water. "Va'anta", Elanee said, "Must you do this
thing now"? "I'll be fine", Khy replied, "Just have a big fire ready when I return".
-----
Casavir watched as Khy left for her celebration to her Goddess and he longed to hold her tightly in his arms. Knowing, that with her heritage, passion
would never be possible, yet he still felt the yearning ache. He realized from her reaction to his proposal of courtly love, that she wanted more than he
could give. Casavir had watched as Khy had turned her attentions more often toward the dark ranger. "Like is drawn to like", he told himself. That being
the only motive he could think of to deceive himself about her attraction to the immoral man. Yet, he never sensed any evil emanating from the enticing
girl. He noticed that some of their companions seemed to call her something that was not her name. Maybe the interpretation of this pet name would help
to clarify the uncertainty of his mind. He walked over to the druid, who was chatting with a few of the others, and asked her the significance of the
moniker.
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"You want to know what Va'anta means". Elanee asked. "Can't ya guess lad", Khelgar said, "Just look at 'er". "Hush, Khelgar", Neeshka shouted,
"It means Angel face"! "Is that some sort of witticism about her heritage"? Casavir asked with confusion on his face. "She's an aasimar Casavir".
Elanee told him. "I don't understand", he said, "Is she not a planar"? "Yes", Neeshka replied, "But there are many types of the planetouched". His
perplexity continued until Elanee tried to explain the origin of their leader. "She is descended from the celestials". Elanee said softly. "She's an angel
lad". Khelgar said laughing. "An angel"? Casavir remarked. "I thought you said that you were sisters"? He said to Neeshka. "I meant we are both
from the planes, and that sort of makes us sisters". Neeshka said smiling. "How could you think", Neeshka exclaimed, "That someone like her could
have demon blood". Casavir sat down shaking his head, as he unexpectedly realized that his whole world had been turned upside down.
-----
Khy walked back toward camp and drew her cloak closer, as she shivered hard with cold. She was startled by the sudden appearance of Bishop, stepping
from behind a stand of frost-laden trees. "W…W… What are you d…d…doing here"? She asked him with her teeth chattering. "I was hunting", he said,
"When I heard something, and that something, it appears, is you". He looked closely at her and could see how pale and weary she seemed. He
clutched each side of his cloak, and then wrapped it and his arms around her, holding her close. Bishop could feel her body shake uncontrollably as he
tightened his embrace, hoping his body heat would subdue the trembling. She dropped her pack and inched her hands up under her chin, as she buried
her face into his chest. "We need to get you back to camp and a warm fire". He whispered. "Not yet", she said softly, "Just a few more minutes". He
pressed his cheek to the top of her head, and held tight to the shivering woman.
-----
Elanee paced back and forth through the camp, obviously worried for her friend that had been gone much too long. Casavir was preparing himself to go
out into the frosty night and search for their missing leader, when he looked up to see Bishop enter the encampment, half dragging something to the
roaring fire. Bishop deposited the cumbersome bundle on a large rock near the flickering blaze and removed his cloak to reveal the girl, half-frozen from
the cold. Elanee and Neeshka grabbed more blankets, while Sand prepared her usual hot tea. Khelgar threw more wood onto the already massive
inferno, as Shandra tossed another blanket toward Bishop. "There will be no more of this Va'anta"! Elanee said. "B..B..But, I must p..p..pay tribute to
S..S..Sune "! Khy shouted with a chilly stutter. "We will find another way for you to worship", Elanee replied, "You cannot keep doing those rituals
in this weather"! Khy nodded in agreement, hoping Sune would understand her predicament. She looked over at Bishop swathed in blankets and
drinking something steamy, that Grobnar had forced upon him. He glanced her way and she mouthed the words, "Thank you", not trusting her shaky
voice.
-----
They would be in Port Llast in a few hours, and Casavir had been contemplating the circumstances that led him to believe the worst about Khy. He had to
confide in someone, and chose the scholarly elf. After giving the details of the misunderstanding to Sand, Casavir asked for his advice. "My dear
boy", He said, "It's very simple, tell her the truth". "But, she could not understand the complexities of the choices I have made". Casavir said with
conviction. "She comprehends a great deal more than you know, my dear paladin". Sand answered back. "I see that you have two choices in the
matter", Sand told him, "One, you don't say anything and she ends up with the unscrupulous ranger, or two, you tell her what happened, and
maybe she will pardon your foolishness and will give you one more chance". "It's all up to you". Sand said.
----
The town buzzed with the excitement and merriment of the Winter solstice celebration. People milled around the different stalls of merchants that traded
in everything from mead to plate mail. The high spirits and joyfulness reminded Khy of the High Harvest festival her village took pleasure in every year. A
slight wave of homesickness washed over her as she reminisced about West Harbor. The solemn face of Sand quickly snapped her back to the serious
nature of their untimely visit. Khy discussed options with her advisor, Sand, who suggested they start the investigation at the town's garrison. They spoke
with Haeromos, the officer-in-charge and Alaine, a survivor of the massacre. The group moved on to merchants, a few of the towns people and finally to
the Alliance Arms inn.
-----
Falgor, the owner of the inn, gave them some insight on the carnage at Ember as well as a few leads. Khy reserved rooms for her friends, intending to
stay in Port Llast for at least the night. They approached a lone woman near the fireplace, and began to subtlety question her. "I noticed you have that
bastard Bishop traveling with you". Malin said viciously. "Malin", Bishop replied with malice, "You're still as grim as ever, I see". "I won't talk to you
with "HIM" around". Malin told her. Khy walked over to the angry ranger and asked him to leave the inn for a short while. "Please, Bishop", Khy pleaded
with him, "I need to find out if she has any information pertaining to Ember". Bishop stubbornly stomped away and she then heard the door to the
inn bang heavily. Once outside, Bishop ran around to the rear of the building looking for the back entrance. Khy led the distraught girl to the kitchen area
and closed the door. She wanted to give Malin some privacy away from the others, feeling her anguish over the situation.
-----
"How can you let that low-life journey with you"! Malin shouted. Khy tried to change the subject to calm the woman, but she raged on about her
moment in time with "the scum-sucking parasite". Khy listened as the girl seethed, regarding her life with the "insensitive, cold-hearted prick". Bishop was
just outside the kitchen, when he overheard Malin's vile incriminations about him. He was well aware of the shoddy way he had treated Malin. He had
used her for his own amusement and after her negligence on their last mission together, he left her stranded. He listened further to the interaction
between the two women, hoping his chances with the aasimar would not be hindered. At the end of her rant, Khy finally received a small tidbit of data
that would help in their search. She looked intently at the bitter, empty shell of a once proud ranger, and felt pity for the woman. "You're a dim-witted
bitch if you don't discard his sorry ass in the middle of nowhere, or cut his rancid throat"! She screamed. Khy coolly asked her, "Are you angry at
his deceitful actions and have true concern for my safety, or are you upset that he would not return the love you feel for him"? Malin looked
flabbergasted at Khy and flew out of the room, slamming the door with her escape.
-----
Opening the door that led to the outside, Khy called for Bishop to come inside. With her keen senses, she had heard him moving about during her
conversation with Malin. He entered, tapping the snow from his boots as he said with a sneer, "Well, at least you figured out that she hates me
because of her infatuation with yours truly". Khy shook her head slowly, gazed up at the cocky, self-obsessed man, and could still feel her deep
attraction to him. "Is that what I'm destined to become, once you've finished taking everything you want from me"? Khy asked him sadly. The
awareness of what she said, hit him hard, as if someone punched him square in the face with a heavy mace. He looked into her amazing golden eyes, and
saw the immense sorrow they held for him. He attempted to speak, but instead, took her in his arms and gently kissed the top of her head. "I can't
promise that I'll change", he whispered, "But, I do care for you". Khy felt the sincerity in his voice, and for the first time since their meeting, she knew
he was being honest. She draped her arms around his neck, and pulled him toward her anxious lips, as he overwhelmed her with the authority of his
passion. Khy felt dizzy from the strength of his deep searching orifice enveloping hers. Her knees felt weak as he pressed himself into her and continued
the exploration of her accommodating and responsive mouth. "Stop", she said trying to catch her breath, "We need to get back to the others".
-----
Bishop raised the tankard to his lips and drank deep of the fermented concoction. He stared at the object of his obsession, which stood across the room,
talking with the paladin. He thought about the kiss they shared, the way she felt, and the sweet taste of her mouth. He knew of her attraction to "Tyr's
errand boy", and thought about terminating the "holy righter of wrongs" in his sleep. They bundled themselves in heavy cloaks, and Bishop watched the
two, as they walked out the door into the cold night. His first instinct was to follow the pair, to conceal himself and observe the inner workings of their
relationship, then use the knowledge against them when the need arose. However, to his dismay, he could not move, his legs would not budge from the
chair he occupied. He had to let the game play out, to run the preordained course it chose, even if it was contrary to his intuition. He remained steadfast,
sipping his mead and occasionally stroking the sleeping wolf at his feet.
-----
The cold wind nipped at her smooth, creamy skin as she stood waiting patiently for Casavir to speak. He had asked to have a word with her, alone, away
from the inquisitive eyes of their comrades. He began with, "My lady, I swore an oath to the magnificent God, Tyr, to serve him as his paladin and
therefore my efforts through him, would aid you in your endeavors". Khy looked into the depths of his vivid blue eyes and felt the fervor of his
faithful enthusiasm to his god. He spoke with fluid eloquence on the dedication and sacrifice gladly endured to reach the epitome of his profession.
-----
"Khy", he said taking her hands in his, "I have erred in my assumptions of you". "I don't understand". She said. "I was taught to accept as true,
that the people of the planes were all wicked and unholy". He replied, trying to avoid her eyes. "What are you trying to say"? She asked. Casavir
expressed to her the sheer folly of his suppositions of what he formally believed about her heritage. The idea he had about Neeshka and all the peoples
of the planes. He begged for her forgiveness in his mistake and knelt before in recompense. "I offered courtly love to you", he explained, "Because I
believed you to be sinful and immoral". "I would fall from grace if I let myself covet someone with the blood of the hells". Khy could now see the
turmoil he had been struggling with since that frivolous conversation. "I love you my lady"! He said standing and then taking her in his arms. "My
desires consume my every waking moment as I yearn for your touch". He said as he bent to kiss her once forbidden lips.