Jerro, is of course not mine. Some language...

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Neverwinter, Blacklake offices of Tarielog and Maelielam - - -

--Ammon Jerro

Tarielog again made calming gestures, and said softly, in a near whisper, "Sir, be at ease. I am merely hoping to be of assistance. We pride ourselves in our discreet services to many an old family here in Blacklake, and for other elite families elsewhere."

Reluctantly, I recognized the tactic, even as I regained a measure of calm. He was more competant than I'd expected.

After a long moment, I said evenly, "As far as I had known, there is no great estate. Who or what, is really paying for all this bother?"

"Your information is incomplete, sir. There is a small gem mine, Rondur Onyxsinger opened on some adjoining lands, that passes under the estate lands. Very fine amethyst, citrine, and onyx gems, suitable for carving and magic have been flowing from it. The mine is projected to be productive for another ten years for high grade gems, and a further decade for smaller gems. The estate's share has been very plentiful." Tarielog stated this surprise very calmly.

Ah, now more became clearer. The miners must be honorably tying up the estate, instead of letting it fade away for lack of care from fees or taxes. It was almost enough to make me laugh. With an income, and a caretaker forced to take care of the estate instead of collecting fees and sleeping away the years, that farm must be almost an anchor.

"Areptir, sir, we would be most pleased to assist you in starting a family... we have a priest who would be quite happy to guarantee you a healthy heir and an easy birth. We could supply introductions to help find you a comfortable wife, or even arrange a contract marriage," he seemed earnest.

Of course he would, that would be a professional skill for him. More fees, more services to enhance his own wealth. Adding more cachet to his string of clients. He wanted more influence over the petty nobility of this city.

For a moment, I considered the future he offered: comfort, a new family, a chance to do it right this time. Keep a closer watch on them, make sure the whims of fate could get a smaller hold on them... so many things I neglected over the years.

But even as I built that pleasant image in my mind, I could not believe it. It was only a pipe-dream, I had no hopes left to tempt. They were gone, long gone, beyond magic or any wisdom to bring back. A new family would not erase the things I've done. Enemies and debts would make that vision too easily corrupted, I had nothing clean left in me anymore. Not just twisted to make the deals I had, but reforged into something too dark for such simple things as family.

I could not live again.

I said farewell to a new family, a hope for a new future in that vision. I was too far down the path I was on, there were no second chances for one such as I.

Meeting the tempter's eyes again, I said, "Cease using magic to try to contact me. Be a good steward, for I will be watching, and may come back in a decade or two if I decide it may be of use. Sooner, if you fuck up."

Then in a showy display of magic, I cast a travel spell to leave, and before I was gone, I saw the proper level of fear in his eyes.