Volume 2, Part XVII: Hope You Like Fish

The first thing that alerted Torio to the fact that she was awake was her pounding skull.

She lifted her head slightly, opening her eyes; Sand's face was pressed against hers and as hers was displaced his head lolled, rolling back against the floor. She blinked in the stuffy dimness of the storage room; her tongue felt three sizes too big and her head...She groaned, pushed herself up slightly, and looked down at Sand consideringly for a moment. "Wake up, Bodaes," she whispered. His body felt very, very warm underneath hers.She patted his cheek lightly."Wake up." He answered her with a mumble and a slight roll of his head. After a moment where his eyelids fluttered, he sank back into sleep.

She snorted, and pushed herself off of him.Standing up made her head reel, and she staggered against the wall for a moment; when the world righted itself once again she opened the storage room door and gingerly walked back into the main room. The place was still a mess from her card-flinging tantrum. She ignored the ariik gem where it lay taunting her at the edge of the table, and snagged up one of the pillows from her bed. A quick slip back into the storage room and a quick slip of the pillow beneath Sand's head; after a moment, she positioned herself underneath both, so that Sand's head was effectively cushioned in her lap.She still smarted slightly from their fight, but she bent down and kissed his sleeping ear."Amin naa mysia." I'm sorry. She brushed his hair back from his face, and slowly, gently, began stroking his ears with her fingers. A bet was a bet, after all...

Waking up was one of the most confusing things he had ever done in his life. There was a steady pounding behind his eyes and as he opened his eyelids a sliver, the light of the room seemed to burn a path right to his brain. His whole body was stiff, and sore and he felt as though he had been run over by an umber hulk.He groaned. And then moaned. Because at the same time as the headache marched through his mind, darts of bliss were shooting from his ears and down his spine. He gave a small shuddering breath of ecstasy and shoved his head in the direction of the pleasure.

He risked another look and saw that his head was no longer lying on the hard stone floor of storage room. It was, in fact, cushion but a large pillow which was being supported by a woman's lap.

Torio's lap.

"Oh hello, dear girl." He gave another whimper of happiness. "Have I died and gone to the heavens?"

"I'm almost positive you're still quite alive," Torio said smoothly, rubbing the tips of his ears between her thumb and forefinger. She bent over his face, looking down into his (rather bleary) eyes and smirking slightly. "You looked rather uncomfortable lying there on the floor, so I figured I would rectify the situation." She kissed the tip of his nose. "You can get up if you like."

Sand purred, "Oh no, my dear Torio. I'm quite happy like this. Besides, I don't think I could get up even if I had wanted to." He looked at her again, his expression as sly as possible considering the circumstances. "So do you concede that I won?

She slid her fingers down around his lobeless ears, stroking them rhythmically. "I suppose for the sake of both of our continued healthy existence, we can...agree that you won, for the moment." Her voice was deceptively amiable as she pinched his ears lightly. "I couldn't bear to think that I've driven you to drown yourself in drink because you lost a game of cards to my illustrious self."

Sand snickered and then cringed as the headache pounded in his ears. "No, instead we'll just let the others think, instead of losing a card game,it was just a woman that I care about that drove me to drink. I can join the ranks of those other poor fools." He gave a short gasp when she pinched him, but it wasn't unpleasurable. He smiled at her and then murmured, "Oh who am I denying? You know you'll get your foot rub. And your bath. There's not much else to do here anyway. Unless you want to go practice with the wand some more."

Torio ran the palms of her hands up the sides of his ears, laughing. "Gods, no," she said, her eyes rolling in distaste. "If all else fails I can drive the damn wand into someone's eye." She bent over his face, her heart giving a pained tug...it was just a woman that I care about that drove me to drink.

Well of course he does, he wouldn't have become so infuriated so quickly...and neither would you.

She plied his mouth open with her own, kissing him lightly. "I suppose there are advantages to being trapped down here, then," she said lightly. Her voice became sly. "Your back must be killing you...you know you're much too old to be sleeping on floors."

His lips quirked up in a smile. "I'm not that old. Stop making me sound like I'm an enfeebled old man, dear girl. It's bad enough I must play one to escape." He sat up, slowly, stiffly. "It's not a matter of age in any case, but a refined taste." He twisted his body around and cupped her face, pulling her to him and kissing her. "Any word from the outside world?"

"Mmmm," She said, returning his kiss enthusiastically...she pushed the pillow from her lap and straightened up, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Nothing yet," She said quietly, pulling back. She frowned slightly, examining his face. "I hope nothing's gone..."

Before her sentence could even finish, there was a series of knocks on the door at the top of the stairs. She snorted. "Ask and you shall receive." She stood up and moved somewhat gingerly to the stairs; after waiting for the second series of knocks, she pulled open the door wide enough to let Lightfoot and Ringside Molly slip inside.

Molly dropped a cloth sack in her hands as they shut the door behind them. "Food," she said shortly. "The Captain still isn't ready, but he's claiming progress has been made." As they spilled down into the main room, she added, "That's the good news, at least."

Lightfoot was eyeing the scattered cards around the floor and the ariik gem on the table; he looked at Torio questioningly, but she kept her face blank as she set the sack down on the table; bread, a wheel of cheese, sausages, some fruit and a jar of some unidentifiable soup. "And the bad news?"

"They've taken Silverfox for questioning down in the docks," she said quietly. "Nothing major, mind you; they'll probably release him later tonight, since it's merely a watch post that's taken him, and they usually badger anyone that looks remotely suspicious out of boredom." She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "But it means that someone's going to be watching us; we come and go often enough through the docks to at least have our faces recognized." Her face was calm, offhanded, but her eyes were pained.

Sand slowly made his way into the main room. The food smelled delicious but his stomach was still churning. He probably looked like the victim of the plague. He picked up an apple and in the same motion, swept the ariik gem into his hand. "I hope he's all right," Sand said, furrowing his brow. "So another day or two? Excuse me if I seem anxious - your hospitality has been wonderful - but I'd rather be back home. I'm sure you understand."

Molly began breaking up pieces of bread and passing them around the table. "Depending on what happens with Silverfox, the plans may change. We have fears that they will begin looking into the Couleuvra's past and realize they are not from Waterdeep, that they don't even exist." Her face hardened. "None of the agents have ever been compromised on our watch and we are not about to let it start happening."

Lightfoot began slicing the cheese, and he asked casually, "Everything ok in here?"

"Everything's fine," Torio said evenly; she took a piece of bread but forwent the offered sausages and cheese, her stomach twinging slightly. She sat in her chair from earlier and propped her legs up on the table once again, taking a bite and chewing methodically. She swallowed. "Just a...um...game of As Nas to pass the time."

Lightfoot glanced at the floor. "I can see that."

Molly chewed on a piece of fruit, her expression sour. "Things are getting rather heated on the streets," she said. "I need both of you, Sand and Torio, ready to up and leave at a moments notice if it comes down to it. Disguises ready, supplies packed; if we have to run for it then we won't have time to laze around and prepare."

They ate, answering questions about the situation above ground; Luskan was nearly in an uproar, with people's homes being searched without warning and anyone on the street being pulled in for random sessions of 'questioning.' "They seem somewhat determined to find the Couleuvra's," she said shrewdly, reaching for a piece of fruit.

"Aye, they do, at that; they know there's more to Asrar's murder than a simple merchant and his wife trying to get their hands on an enchanted map. And of course, they suspect Neverwinter's hand...they always do, in almost everything. But..." he caught Molly's eye and shrugged. "We'll merely have to be cautious," he said evasively. "Just be prepared to leave quickly, the both of you."

Sand took a bite of his apple. It was a little overripe but he supposed at this point, beggars (or rather, fugitives) couldn't be choosers. "We'll be ready. We understand having us here puts you all at risk too." He felt his heart beating harder - it seemed as though Luskan wouldn't be letting them leave without a fight either. Suddenly staying in the cramped little safehouse seemed a tempting idea instead of risking a crazy escape plan.

He glanced at Torio. She'd never be happy trapped in here. Her restlessness inside the large spacious Keep was evident enough and judging from this afternoon, it would probably only take another two days before she seriously tried to kill him. "We'll be ready."

They left again soon after; Torio bent to, packing potions, rations...the wands...into a small travel sack, her fingers trembling. It seems they might be leaving sooner than they thought. She grabbed up the accoutrements of her "disguise" and laid them out, ready to be slipped into at a moments notice.

She watched Sand in his own preparations for a moment, pausing as she stretched her back; as anxious as she was to put as much distance as she could between herself and Luskan, she realized with a pang that they had been able to act as they wished with relative privacy during their stay here. Once they were back at the keep they would be safe...and having to pretend that they loathed each other once more.

No more sleeping in.

She realized she'd been staring at him. Torio brushed her fingers out of her hair, thinking at him...Think we might manage a day together that doesn't involve our lives, names, or freedom being threatened, eventually?

Sand looked up at her from the old robes he was laying out across the back of a chairand held her gaze a long time, considering his words carefully. It always seemed as though the words came easiest when they were about to risk life and limb. It probably had to do partially with the fact that he could always blame it on duress.

Yes. One day. I have hope.

He walked over to her and pressed his forehead to hers. If we survive this whole war, we'll leave Neverwinter and Luskan, go south and make new lives for each of us. No alliances or allegiances to any city, to anyone, but ourselves. He cupped her face tenderly and held her still. Candlekeep sound all right? Imagine all the books!

He had to admit he had been thinking of it more and more - what future they had together, if any. There had been days he honestly thought there was hope of a life together,as impractical as such dreams were. These small morsels of a fool's paradise made the battle against the King of Shadows worth it. And even if he died, maybe - just maybe - Torio would make it out alive.

I have hope. At least one of them did. She let her hands slide up around his where they held her face, her fingers curling against his hands and holding them lightly. It's a plan, at least, she thought lightly, her mouth curling slightly into a smile as she tilted her face forward and brushed his mouth in a kiss. It seemed completely impossible to even imagine it, to her; she was so ensnared in intrigues and plots, her first reaction to almost any situation being to lie and twist words until she could ensure her own continued survival and safety... She wasn't enough of a fool to believe that a woman like her would ever be guaranteed peace.

But maybe...

"I like the south," she said, almost shyly. She cleared her throat, her voice regaining some of its clipped crispness. "Leave it to you to choose one of the biggest libraries in Faerun...do they have reliable tables there?"

Sand laughed and gave her a roguish grin. "I'm certain they do, dear girl. If not, we'll find a carpenter to build us our very own private table. We should lend out our services to test the strength and reliability of tables everywhere. We could use it to supplement our income. Give up this spying business for good. I think we're better at assuring the integrity of wooden surfaces, bathing tubs, and carriages." He gave her a quick peck and then took a step back. "And I'm glad you prefer the south over the north.Sending me to Icewind Dale would be pure torture." He sat on the edge of the bed, saying, "And now we wait. We're awful at waiting, Helkaer."

Torio snorted, climbing onto the bed behind him. She settled against the mattress, and reached up, pressing her fingers into Sand's shoulder...Which one had been injured? She saw the image of Falathiel's foot digging down into Sand's body, heard the snap! of bone all over again...

She felt her body grow cold with a terrible fury, and a raw disappointment that she hadn't gotten to kill the Elven woman herself. She slowly, carefully, began kneading his shoulders. "I'll admit waiting patiently doesn't fall on our list of virtues," she said absently, her eyes traveling down the back of his head, following the fall of his hair. She sighed as her fingers worked against his flesh through the fabric of his tunic. "Is this what it's like for you, then? Long stretches of nothing and then flurries of fighting, torture, spellcasting, and running for your life?"

Sand closed his eyes and relaxed under her touch as her skilled fingers began massaging his injured shoulder. "Lle aileli amin." You indulge me. "Yes...that's exactly what it's like. Adventuring. As tedious as I thought it would be. With lots of walking or horses thrown in for good cause as well." He chuckled. "I don't run away nearly as often as you think I do, my dear. Ooh yes, that's the spot." The muscle was still tight, moving stiffly over the healed bone. How many days had it been since they were in the tower? Two days?

Ah but it seemed an eternity.

It was amazing how quickly they had gone back to at least a semblance of normality. Sand still hadn't asked her about her time with Asrar and she still hadn't offered any information. He still hadn't explained why his hand was still slightly swollen and bruised either though he had seen her looking at it when they had first met up from Asrar's mansion. He made a fist with his hands, examining the knuckle when she pressed down between his shoulder blades, making the dark thoughts drop from his mind temporarily. "Ah, dear girl, that feels wonderful. I really do love it when you touch me, 'Wife'."

Torio's hands paused only momentarily before she resumed, her mouth twitching in amusement. The cloth of his tunic bunched and slid beneath her fingers as she worked the skin and muscles beneath them, and she reached down and firmly but gently pulled his tunic up over his shoulders, dropping it onto the bed next to her. Much better. Her hands slid over his bareback for a moment before beginning to press down gently against the soft pressure points along his spine and shoulder blades, his skin warming underneath her fingers. "Getting into character, are we? Trying to take advantage of those wifely duties?" His flippant use of the term "wife" brought to mind those (relatively) easy days in the carriage before they had arrived, when there was nothing to do but talk and sleep...and make love. It seemed just as deceptively simple now as it did then; they were alone, with nothing much else to do but wait, and his body was warm under her hands.

She felt a discordant nudge through his mind, and the only comprehensible trail of the thought she caught before it disappeared was Asrar. Her eyes softened for a moment. She bent forward, nuzzling his hair out of the way as she began kissing the back of his neck. "Ent Amin liy sylol llie, ceral." And I love touching you, "husband."

The touch of her fingertips on his bare skin was much nicer than through the coarse tunic. He glanced over his shoulder at her. "You could say I was getting into character - one of my many characters it seems. I'd rather be your husband than your master of the arts, otherwise I suspect I'd have to spend the rest of my life yelling 'Flick it' at you. And you'd be a boy and I'd be old." He leaned back into her kisses. They were playing a thorny, treacherous game - throwing the words 'husband' and 'wife' around, almost too casually.

Sand tried to picture Torio in a puffy white wedding gown, walking down the aisle towards him, with - well who would go to their wedding exactly?

Oh Sand you're marrying the woman who tried to kill us all! Here's a lovely set of doilies for a wedding gift.

No - definitely not.

He bit his lip to stop from bursting out with laughter, his shoulders shaking slightly and he coughed to cover it up. Marriages - they meant a different thing when one spouse could outlive the other spouse by hundred of years. A few years of bliss then many years - decades, centuries-of heartache and loneliness. He knew how these relationships always turned out. Never good.He sighed and then whispered very softly, "You know I care deeply for you, dear girl."

Torio stopped, her hands pressed warmly against his back. She stared at the back of his head for a moment, tracing the way his dark hair brushed the nape of his neck with her eyes. He had suddenly gone from lightly teasing to very serious in a matter of moments.

She slid her hands forward, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him back against her body. There was a torrent of things she could say, that were just waiting, patiently, at the back of her tongue. I love you. I want to live better than I have been because of you. I would do anything for you. I fear that you'll die in this war and I'll be more alone than I ever have been. And this time there wasn't a truth serum in sight to take the blame for it. Her inherent caution,her deep, age-old pain closed her throat, made her head and heart feel heavy and burdened with the thirty years of life she had clawed her way through so far.

She held on to him tightly, as if he would slip away...or maybe she would...if she let go. "I know," she said quietly, pressing her face against his ear.

Sand turned around, wrapping his arms around her and pulled her down to the lumpy mattress. She was holding him, clutching him to her and he embraced her fiercely. Sand had no idea how long they held each other on the small mattress - it could have been minutes or hours but he knew they faced a very uncertain future and any moment together could be their last."Oh, Torio."

His hands traced across her collarbone and down her chest, embedding the memory of her skin into his fingers. Her lips - they tasted like flesh and slightly salty - she obviously did not have her lip ointment here with her. He wanted to memorize the feel of her body, the way their arms draped over their waists and shoulders, how her breathing deepened when she relaxed, how her adorable nose twitched when she slept, how her gray eyes flashed when she was angry, how her voice sounded so victorious when she scored a point in an argument. Their bodies fit together perfectly - lock and key.

It had taken him nearly 300 years to find her. Hells be damned if they thought he would lose her now.

Knock knock.

Sand looked up from his reverie. He quickly made his way over to the door even as the second set of knocks came. He threw open the door and then stepped back, horrified, as Ringside Molly and Lightfoot came in carrying a beaten Silverfox."By Mystra - what happened?" He ran over to the cupboards and began looking for potions and bandages.

Silverfox coughed, "I'm all right, just the usual Luskan city watch beating..." He grimaced before continuing, "You have to get out of here now. They're doing a midnight sweep of these neighbourhoods and they'll find you for sure." He waved the other spies off him. "Help them! I'm all right."

Lightfoot immediately came over to Sand. "Quickly now, into your disguise! Molly, help Torio."

Molly wrenched her arm so hard that Torio nearly fell; she only had time for a grim, desperate glance at Sand's face before she was shoved towards the corner; without further ado, the woman spy spun her around to face the wall and yanked her tunic up over her shoulders without so much as a by-your-leave. "I'm sorry, but we don't have time for modesty. Lift your arms." The webbing crossed her chest once again, and she winced and gasped as Molly tugged it tight, wrapping it around her body five-fold before finally tying it off, satisfied.

Her trousers were briskly rolled down as she shrugged into her tunic; she could hear fabric being rustled and quiet cursing and instructions being muttered behind her as Sand was hurried into his disguise. A jar full of soot was thrust into her face; she patted it as her hair was brushed back from her face,and it was on with the boots and her surcoat and belt.

"Cloak," said Molly, when Torio jerked at the feeling of chord being drawn about her neck; she patiently held still as it was tied under her chin, and then the hood was thrown over her head. "Get your bags and whatever else you might need."

As Torio slipped her pack on under her shoulders and slipped a few daggers from the storage room into her belt and boots, she heard Molly's voice, "How's he looking, are you gents done yet? We're running out of time..."

Sand was quickly hauled by the much larger Lightfoot into the opposite corner, who said in an amused voice. "Well I see at least you're already halfway undressed." The elf couldn't tell if he was suspecting anything between him and Torio, but if he did, he didn't make further mention of it. "Bend over, Sand," he instructed crisply and placed the small pillow on his back, securing it with bandages. He tossed Sand a shirt and then a robe. "Don't tarry. Hurry!" The clothing was awkward to put on with the pillow strapped to his back and he heard Lightfoot cursing quietly as he tugged the shirt and robe over his hump.

Silverfox had made his way over to them now, powdering Sand's hair white even as he sneezed. He tucked his long hair under the wide-brimmed floppy hat, before Lightfoot began lightly dusting his face with a fine layer of ash. Sand felt somebody lifting his feet and he looked down where Silverfox was putting his boots on. The gnarled walking staff was shoved into his hand, a cloak over his shoulder, followed by his pack and then he was ready.

Lightfoot nodded to Molly, "We're good to go."

Silverfox collapsed into the nearest chair. "We're risking it, moving you so quickly without knowing if the Captain has your papers in order but we have to. If the ship gets searched on the way out of port and you don't have your credentials, he may have to hide you in the cargo. Hope you like fish."

"Fish," muttered Torio under her breath, but they were already being hustled up the stairs. Lightfoot cracked the door, and peered outside; the night was pitch black, and only a small sliver of moon was lighting the street immediately outside of their door. He paused, held up a hand; there was the sound of footsteps walking faintly by, muffled voices, and then silence fell.

He flicked his fingers forward, once; the door swung open and they slipped out into a crooked back alley, the door to the safehouse shutting with a ring of finality behind them.

It was now or never.