A/N; Sorry for the long delay in a new chapter. Had a ton of RL stuff come up but thankfully things have settled down. This chapter will explore another of my original characters I have created alongside Giselle and the rest of her unofficial family ties to the famous Drizzt Do'Urden, creation of one R.A. Salvatore who I admire quite a bit. Anyway, hope you enjoy this newest addition!
A/N Addition; I had not forgotten this story, not in the least, just that for a while my muse had fallen dormant any time I looked at this thing. Hopefully however that will change now that things have settled down once again. I will say that I plan to attempt to explain how magic can possibly work on Toril through the use of some techno babble, which I might not do as well as some but I still hope to accomplish all the same lol. Hope you all enjoy!
Warning, Warning; Sexual content advisory. This chapter is also not for the faint of heart. You'll see why soon enough.
Chapter 5; Another Side to the Same Story.
1435 DR
Mass Grave Site in the Trollbark Forest. Western Heartlands.
Former Elven Encampment.
The Forgotten Realms of Toril.
It had been 45 years; it had only been 45 years. It still felt like yesterday to the young light elf maiden, while other days she could look to the horizon and not feel the grief constrict her heart like a vice. Today was….not one of those days as she knelt in the flower strewn clearing in the middle of the Trollbark Forest and wept silently, tears falling down her beautiful white porcelain face as she prayed in the tongue of her people that her lost friends and family would find peace. Just being here was enough to make her wish she had shared their fate but she knew that was not what her mother would have wanted for her if she were still here. She knew that her father would have said the very same thing as they had held her close and chased silly nightmares away, the dreams of a young child still during those far happier days before they had all been taken in a single terrible night.
Her long golden lustrous hair fell down like waves down the middle of her back which was tucked behind her ears with ivory hair pins to control it further, which in turn had been made from the bones of knucklehead trout found up in the far uncivilized northwestern lands of Icewind Dale. She had taken a trip with a good friend there not so long ago, and despite the ice covered land's reputation of being nothing more than a wasteland of snow and ice, she had found a measure of peace there for her tortured soul. Neria Zathrieal owed her dear friend a great deal for that single trip to where the warrior's father had once resided for a time on the surface with good friends of his own. The memory of that trip brought a small smile to the light elf's face as Neria gently clasped the silver crescent shaped moon emblem of her people's main deity, Corellan Larathain, the elven god of war and protection, in her right hand for a moment.
She looked to where she knew her friend to be, having received a message through the use of a courier pigeon a week ago at a temple devoted to Sune she had been residing at for the past year, telling her where the ranger was to be during her latest job if they wanted to meet up. Neria was no slouch to the warrior arts, being a cleric of no small skill and ability of her own although when it came to sword fighting, she was nowhere near as skilled as her friend. Of course, that was to be expected of one Do'Urden to another. Despite all this, she had sent a message back the same day, promising to meet her as soon as she could.
She had needed to make this trip first though, as she did every year for the past 40 years. It helped with the healing process her old mentor had recommended before she had buried him thirty five years ago, here no less since he had done so much for her before he had joined his own family in the after life. He had been quite old by human standards even before he had rescued Neria the day of the orc attack, having arrived with a large group of his own friends and allies in pursuit of the very band that had wiped out several small settlements all those years ago. He had arrived several hours too late to do anything for her family however except to help bury them all, but he took the then 15 year old Neria under his wing and protected her, trained her, and taught her everything he knew while slowly coaxing her out of her shell she had put around herself at the time.
It had taken many years, but eventually Neria had regained a semblance of her former self with her mentor's cleric training which extended beyond the healing of the physical self. He had had a way about him that had made even the emotionally destroyed Neria respond positively to his soft and gentle nature. The only time he had ever raised his hand in anger was in the defense of others. A whole other side of him came forth then, one that blazed with the holy power of his god behind his sword and shield which had struck down everything from orcs to vampires in the ten years she had known him.
Having since stood from the glade she had settled herself upon, Neria slowly stood and did her best to avoid trampling underfoot as few flowers that had overtaken this beautiful place as she could as she made her way to the only actual grave markers that could be seen anywhere in the clearing. Two belonged to her parents, and the one beside them was that of her mentor. Drying her eyes with the back of her right hand, Neria knelt once more and pulled her heavy backpack off of her shoulders and pulled out a wreath of white lilies for her mother's grave, gingerly putting the wreath on the dirt mound that bore a stone pile of small rocks in the form of a small cairn. It was the best she could do at the time with her mentor's help, but it was enough for the dead on top of having consecrated the ground in the ways of the elves so the dead would stay buried for good. The fact the man had taken into consideration the burial rites of the elves over his own god of choice had touched Neria in a way she hadn't been able to express into words at the time.
She couldn't stop a couple more tears from forming in her deep, sea green eyes which sat in the face the gods had blessed her with. She didn't bother to wipe them away as they fell down her ageless perfectly round face, not ashamed of the tears anymore as she had been once upon a time. Survivor's guilt still weighed heavy on her very being, but she had gotten past the majority of her emotional anguish over the years. "Mother….how I miss you and father both. I wish everyday that I could see you both again….but I know in my heart I shall, many years from now as long as I stay true to what you both taught me with the time we had together, short as it was for us all." The words were spoken in elven, finding it impossible to speak in the common tongue for those she had loved more than anything else in the world, even more than the old warrior that had saved her not a day later.
Turning to the next grave in line, Neria pulled out a beautiful figurine made out of the same bone that her hair pins were made out of. It was carved in the image of her father, by Giselle's hand no less. She ran her hand over the small miniature of her father's form, truly glad that the half Drow had been brought to her when she had been after a red dragon had nearly killed the woman. Giselle, after they had gotten to know each other a great deal, had been kind enough to carve something for the light elf during their trip to Icewind Dale, having learned the craft of scrimshaw carving from a former Halfling thief by the name of Regis. By Neria's understanding, Giselle had somehow found the clearing that housed Cattie-Brie and the Halfling when so many others had tried and failed in the past, and she had been allowed to stay for a time in that woodland paradise by Meilikki's blessing.
Neria believed it since she was a strong believer in such divine signs and the like. She had strong faith in the gods even though she had every reason not to given her own past. So to her, it seemed only natural that she'd leave the carving of her father carved by the Do'Urden woman here at her father's grave. Last but not least she said a blessing prayer over the grave of her mentor in human to his own god as he had done for her family and friends in elven. With that taken care of, she slowly departed the clearing, heading for Baldur's Gate. She needed to find Giselle before she disappeared off the map again as she was quite well known to do from time to time. There were….some things they needed to discuss. Just thinking about the urgency of her mission brought to bear the memories of the last month, portents or dreams sent from her god, she wasn't sure. All she knew for sure was that they had gotten her attention quite a bit given the signs she had managed to make out were mixed with those of her most horrible nightmares.
Her parents, loved ones, and friends were dancing around a fire as was often their nature during such a beautiful night as this. The moon was only half full but the weather was amazingly comfortable for such things, not too hot or too cold. The harvest from the forests they called home was abundant, they were surrounded by the beauty of the forest, they had their friends and family beside them to share the blessings of the gods and that was enough for them. They enjoyed life and paid it the respect it deserved as it gave them everything they needed to live full, happy lives. Tales were spun, songs were sang, there was no reason to be unhappy as far as a much younger Neria was concerned as she watched the pleasant proceedings with a beaming smile on her face.
Too much good wine and food however made it easy for the orcs to sneak up upon their camp. There were not nearly enough guards on the borders of their camp to stop what fell upon them. Orcs swept through their entire camp and slaughtered anyone that dared to stand in their way. Neria's mother had been wise enough despite the panic and chaos around them to hide Neria in a hollowed out log and push it down the hill, getting her daughter out of harm's way before she could be harmed as well. Neria herself had been far too terrified to come out of the log the entire night and part of the morning as some of the orcs had gotten it into their heads to….partake of the women of her clan. She had heard the agonized screams and even a few grunts and moans as she heard what the orcs were doing to those she would find dead in the morning.
It was only when the sounds of battle started again did Neria dare peek out of her hiding spot. She saw close to a hundred different people, mostly humans, sweep over the orc encampment that had taken root right where her former clan had rested just the night before. Not a single orc made it out of the killing zone. No amount of coaxing would have gotten Neria to go anywhere near the place, but thankfully she was spared such a thing as staring at so many dead in one place as the man she'd come to call her mentor and savior was directed towards her hiding spot by an elven archer companion of his. Neria had at the time tried to pull away from any attempt to get her to come out, but the old man had stayed and had simply talked, telling her a story of his own trials as a youth which had changed the course of his life to that which he did now.
At the time Neria hadn't thought he had been talking about himself since the old warrior had purposely phrased his story to make it seem that he was talking about someone else, but his story had the desired effect to draw her out where she sobbed her heart out against the full platemail armor he had worn that day, her face buried against his chest for the better part of an hour. He didn't say a word; he only hugged her close and did his best to silently calm her down. Eventually she had passed out from exhaustion from staying up the entire night and didn't awaken until two days later. No one had bothered her save to clean the scratches and bruises she had accumulated from her ride down the side of the hill in the log she had been found in and dressed in clean clothes by another elven healer the group had with them at the time of the attack upon the orcs.
Neria shook her head and sighed heavily, knowing that she didn't have time to dwell on the past. Whether she was receiving visions from her god or not, the images intermixed with those of her nightmares were quite confusing to say the least. She doubted Giselle would know anything about them but she needed someone she could trust, and despite the good friends she had left behind at the temple of Sune she had been a part of for a time since a rather virulent disease had been present there which she had managed to cure everyone of before any of their rank died, Neria didn't trust them as she trusted Giselle. She needed the half Drow's wisdom in this matter, no one else would do.
Looking to the right at the edge of the clearing where everyone was buried, the burn marks where the orcs and their belongings had been set to the torch were still present. It was if the ground was cursed never to grow anything there again, and Neria was quite glad of that since the foul beasts didn't deserve to be renewed in the circle that was life. She'd have rather they have been burned further away from the clearing itself, but this was good enough at least. They weren't anywhere near her family and friends' remains and while again she'd have preferred they had been put into the forest they had crawled out of, Neria knew that she was lucky to have what she did here at all. Ever since that night, she had always had a deep hatred for the orcs and not even her mentor had been able to relieve her of that deep burning rage that boiled in her gut whenever she so much as smelled one.
With one last look at the clearing as she entered the edge of the tree line, Neria Zathriel let her gaze linger upon the three grave markers for a moment longer before wandering into the woods at last. She had a long road ahead of her, of course, every journey felt long until it was over, but somehow she had a deep seated suspicion that this would be her longest yet. Letting her mind wander of the signs and portents she had taken to be just that in her recent dreams, Neria still did her best to focus on the path before and around her, not wanting to be caught unawares like her clan had been so long ago.
Metal spikes covered the ground, fifteen feet tall at full extension, were just as thick as any forest she had traversed. Bodies were impaled on all of them. As time flew by, the sun rising and setting in rapid succession, the bodies became….monstrous shadows of their former selves, glowing an eerie blue as metal became their new skin and their faces became dried up hollowed parodies of their former selves, becoming twisted in rage and who knew how much agony as well at being….changed. Not only that but dozens of light headed metal warriors carrying strange weapons, seeming to emit beams of light at incredible speeds, killed all that they touched before them. Every city across the Realms had similar attacks happening at the same time, and Neria knew this as her mind was forced across the land as dizzying speed, seeming to fly from one smoking ruin of a city to the next.
Metal ships and metal men, wherever they went death and destruction followed, yet it wasn't them that terrified her the most. It was always the massive and biggest ship of them all that came out of the sky, lancing the ground with red burning energy wherever one of its squid like legs pointed, that the most terrifying of demons she had ever seen that gripped her heart in ice and didn't let go that was the most horrifying to look upon. All the death and destruction that followed, she knew without a doubt, originated from this very indestructible god of destruction. She was nothing before it as it aimed one of its legs at her, seeming to pinpoint her out of all of the running masses to doom her and only her to destruction eternal. The red light would find her…..
And Neria would wake up screaming. Not even the nightmares of her own people being raped and slaughtered had ever held her in such mindless terror. Perhaps in the early days, even a few years into her recovery she remembered a few cases when she had woke up in such a state that it took at least three different people to hold her down lest she hurt herself or someone else, but whatever that monstrous being was….it chilled her very soul to the core just to think about it in the light of day. There were other variations on that same dream, but it all ended the same way, with that thing pointing one if its tentacle like legs at her and blasting her into oblivion, leaving nothing behind save a scorch mark on the ground.
Whatever happened in the future, Neria didn't plan to take it lying down. Survivor's guilt or not, a half century grudge against orcs or not, going up against a foe that could lay waste to an entire planet in a matter of days or not, Neria was not going to take it lying down. She was like Giselle in that sense, but her motivations were different. Giselle protected life, Neria did her best to make sure it lasted as long as possible. She would always be a healer before being a warrior, while her dear friend would always be a warrior first and foremost. In the end, it would have to be enough.
2178 CE. March 4th – the 5th
The Woods of Sharp Teeth, the Western Heartlands
SSV Hastings, med bay.
Debriefing….
It had been a hell of a day. Her CO was not happy with the alien she had sent back to the Hastings, but at least the peace talks with the Lords of the City had gone well. The Captain of the Hastings was a good man, and did his best to explain things in a way that the locals would understand without sounding threatening at the same time, but Shepard proved the better diplomat since she had personal experience with these people already, several groups of them in fact, and if not for her help, the captain was sure that things wouldn't have gone nearly as smoothly as they did. Even so, that still didn't change that she had made a mess of First Contact procedures, but despite the very out of place image of a Kodiak shuttle here in their medieval style city, the people seemed generally unaffected by the whole affair. Alexandria chalked it up to the fact they were used to the strange and unusual everyday anyway.
The captain had other ideas, mostly the fact that there was a confirmed Eclipse presence on the planet and that somehow these people had known about them all along. She doubted that very much and had said as much on their way to the Duke's Palace. "I highly doubt that everyone here is suspect. Look around; does it look like that they could hide something like this?" She waved her hand towards the simple stone and wood buildings around them, seeing no hint of anything close to modern tech anywhere here and the captain had to admit it was unlikely, but he still had a ready argument all the same, not about to let this drop on a whim or a hunch on the word of one woman, one woman who had done quite a bit in the last 24 hours which unfortunately included losing two of her own on her first mission as commander.
"They did for forty years if your intel was anything to be believed. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since even we missed the presence of these confounded Eclipse when we did a scan of the planet's surface. Besides, I'm always paranoid, or as I like to say, always alert and ready for a trap to spring. Why do you think I'm still alive?" Alexandria had no ready answer for that since it was probably a good if unhealthy state of mind to think everyone was out to get you, but at least when someone actually tried you were ready for the attack. Alexandria didn't like being on such high alert all the time herself and hoped she didn't end up like her current CO, always on edge and potentially seeing enemies where there were none.
Still, the rest of their conversation would have to wait, their young charge asleep in Shepard's arms, the last 24 hours for her having been quite exhausting. The young girl had been through a lot and she deserved some rest. It was a little weird for Shepard to be carrying a child of any size but apparently even the excitement of returning home wasn't enough to keep her eyes from closing as sleep took her. For Alexandria, she rather enjoyed the feeling oddly enough as she hefted the precious bundle up a little higher up against her chest and looked to her CO who just offered a small smile. "Despite my misgivings about this whole fiasco, you truly did a good job here Shepard. And you honestly look more mature than your age and appearance would otherwise say, especially holding the kid."
Shepard couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by her CO's praise but she wasn't surprised when the stern visage came back again since she was still up a shit's creek with no paddle. Still, the verbal blow was softened and it was clear the man in charge of the Hastings wasn't really feeling the anger he was trying to project. In all honesty he was quite proud to have her aboard his crew, even if she had sent back an alien to be taken care of by their chief medical officer.
That aside, the peace talks went well, the little girl was returned to her family who were happy to see the safe if tired return of their daughter, and Shepard was praised as a hero. The gold coins she wouldn't be able to use anywhere except here unless she was able to find a bank that could exchange them for credits, but otherwise other than the fact the bards would be singing her praises, there was one other small matter that drew her attention as she saw the Harper agent beckoning to her from a secluded spot on the second floor of the main hall. "I'll be right back." was all the explanation she gave her CO who looked a bit puzzled until he saw where her gaze had fallen and only nodded, having heard of the man that had sent her into the Guild Hall to begin with, for good reason it seemed now.
He didn't have to say to be careful as Alexandria patted her left hip as if reading her CO's thoughts, making sure her pistol was still handy since it would be the easiest to draw in a pinch. The Harper agent was as hard as ever to identify, but at least he had gained her trust since she didn't seem nearly as hostile as before. "Greetings Alexandria Shepard, I am glad you made it out of there in one piece. I have to ask however, what happened to my daughter?" That got Shepard's attention as the man pulled back his hood and reached behind his head, pulling a simple brown leather strap away from his face. The moment the plain white mask was removed even the slightest, Alex was greeted by a pair of purple eyes set in a black onyx face that seemed eerily similar to Giselle's own, save of course his was more masculine and slightly wrinkled as well, giving the impression that he was far older than anyone she had ran into so far.
Drizzt noted the slight surprise but she didn't back away or make any move to harm him. He hadn't sent Giselle there, but he knew the Harper that had and had intercepted the fellow before he could make his entrance here….after getting the details of the mission he had sent his daughter upon. The very mention of his name opened many doors since he was a hero for the ages, and always would be; especially now since it seemed his bloodline in the form of his daughter and twin sons were continuing the good work he had done when he was far younger. Still, that aside, Drizzt smiled and offered his hand to the human who shook it firmly, denoting strength beyond the physical scope which he picked up on immediately. He nodded his approval as he let the young woman's hand go before folding his own behind his back, seeming perfectly at ease.
"Your daughter is safe, of that I can assure you. I must ask but the mask, why use it at all?" Alexandria had a valid reason to ask and Drizzt smiled warmly as he indicated they should walk for a time together as he explained his side of things. Alexandria noted several things about this man who had most likely seen kingdoms rise and fall over who knew how long this warrior had lived. The hand he had offered was covered in calluses just as thick if not thicker than Giselle's own, but it was the strength behind it that had set Alexandria at ease as well as the very way he walked which told much about him. In the short time she had seen Giselle move through the Guild Hall, she had come to realize that grace like hers wasn't learned just anywhere. No movement was ever wasted, no strike had ever been without precision or landing exactly where it was meant to land by her hand and nothing escaped her gaze. Drizzt was the epitome of all that she inspired to become while making her own way in life, and Shepard could see why.
"You have surely heard that the Drow are not to be trusted, and they are right which is unfortunate since if not for their truly wicked ways, they could accomplish so much more than even they dream possible. When I first came to the surface, I was aware of this, I knew just how truly evil they were, having been born in such darkness and raised within until I was forced to leave, but time after time I was turned away from every city, town, and village without exception. Even when I eventually DID find somewhere to call my own at the edge of the known world far to the north and east of here, I was forced to live alone in the wilderness of the icy wasteland that is Icewind Dale. Even so, I came to the realization that even though the surface dwellers feared and hated my kind, I would not let their prejudices control whom I would become. It helped that I found such strong and amazing friends shortly after I became a permanent fixture on the edge of civilization, where even among other rogues that had nowhere else to go, I was not accepted until much later." They had since reached a balcony that overlooked Baldur's Gate from the east. Alexandria had stayed silent the whole time. Such obvious wisdom and strength of character she would likely never meet again, so she did her best to listen and comprehend all this man had to tell her.
Drizzt appreciated his audience of one's silence and stared at the rising sun despite the fact it hurt his light sensitive eyes. Eventually he looked away but only to look upon the human woman that had helped his daughter through what she had down in that Guild Hall. "Even now such prejudices remain since my people have not changed for the better, and I don't expect them to do so. No, I understand better than anyone that Lolth's hold upon them will never lessen, even after this world has been burned away to be reborn anew at a far future date, but despite this, I still live the best I can and hope that my sons and daughter will do the same even after I'm gone. I don't know what divine providence, if any, brought you to her Shepard, but I can understand why she took to you so quickly. She would never trust just anyone on a first meeting. Marik, may the Nine Hells take him, made sure of that." A brief flash of anger appeared on the old warrior's face but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared, giving Alexandria pause since before then, he seemed truly at peace with everything and everyone around him. His easy mannerisms and the way he carried himself denoted a joy in all that he did, yet she made no mistake in assuming that he could probably take her down in a blink of an eye if it was necessary.
"You're almost as bad at answering a straight question as your friend Jarlaxle was earlier." Drizzt chuckled and shook his head in amusement, having heard from his own contacts that Jarlaxle was about the city. Few things escaped Drizzt's notice, especially when it came to former enemies turned friends such as Jarlaxle had become despite their differences. "Still, I doubt I can take her with me even though I'm not as xenophobic as it seems your own kind is Drizzt, but if I could I'd gladly have her watch my back."
"And that's why I feel I could trust you with my own since few people ever take to a Drow, half or otherwise, as quickly as you have already Alexandria. Even my closest friends had trouble accepting me for a while when we first met, but those are tales for another time Shepard. As for your question, I had heard that she was here and I had wanted to surprise her since I am more than welcome in most of the Western Heartlands even in these dark times, but I do not know for sure if your kinsman would appreciate another uninvited guest among his crew."
Alexandria would have made a case for his invitation but Drizzt held up his hand to silence her before she could begin. "All things come in time and despite how long it's been since I've spoken to her last, I would not have you get yourself into more trouble on my account. If you ever come back this way, be sure to stop by Mithral Hall if you can. I should let you be on your way since it seems that your kinsman is ready to depart. Good luck and should our paths cross again, know that you have my trust." With that Drizzt gracefully jumped off of the balcony, and landed on a nearby rooftop with a fluid grace of a panther after getting a small running start to help launch himself just far enough to reach his destination. Shepard watched him go until she couldn't see him any more and was still in a state of awe as she made her way back downstairs and to her CO. Maybe shore leave could wait?
Giselle groaned softly, feeling utterly drained as she slowly regained consciousness after the intense fighting she and Shepard had endured as they had made their way through the Guild Hall of the now dead Hands of Glory. She at first couldn't regain her senses, her head swimming, feeling as if she was in a heavy fog, but slowly she started to notice things around her. Voices for one, speaking over her, one of which was calm and she had to admit, soothing. The other was concerned, and if her ears didn't deceive her, almost as wore out as she felt currently. The repetitive noise, a beeping sound, was what made her aware that she wasn't in the Guild Hall anymore. She opened her eyes and immediately regretted it as bright light filled her vision, making her jerk away and put her right arm over her face.
"Do you really need to shine that in my face?!" She growled, her voice sounding quite raspy and dry, only then did she notice that she had something stuck to her arm. She didn't get a chance to look that second however as gentle hands pushed her down onto her back and the light's intensity was lowered, allowing the warrior to blink and adjust to what was around her. She immediately wished she was still passed out, preferably in the Purple Wyrm Inn as she saw nothing but metal walls around her. She sensed rather than saw that she was no longer in a place she knew. "Where in the Nine Hells am I?" There was worry in her voice now, but her brown eyes fell on an older woman's face as her vision finally started to clear up after being effectively blinded, her light sensitive eyes a genetic downfall because of the Drow blood she carried. Still, she looked into the woman's face and settled, feeling oddly enough calmed by the woman's presence.
Doctor Karin Chakwas was nearing the twilight era of her years, her hair already well on its way to being completely grey, yet her brown eyes told the half Drow she was going to be around for quite a while if she had anything to say about it. She had to put her age around her late 40s, early 50s at the oldest, but she wasn't about to ask and offend the doctor. "I must apologize for the light Ms. Do'Urden. It's common enough for us and I didn't know that you'd react as you did. I must admit you're the first of your kind I've ever seen, and I have seen quite a bit since I signed on to the Alliance Military after I finished medical school. Pardon this old woman's ramblings, let me sum up my attempt at an introduction and apology by simply saying it's an honor to meet you and you may call me Doctor Karin Chakwas. Are you in any discomfort Ms. Do'Urden?"
"Please, just call me Giselle, and no, thank you. Other than a bit of a dry throat and a headache from the light I'm fine." It was then that she noticed that Alexandria was by the door, the one she could see anyway, a look of utter relief stamped on her young face. "How long was I out Doctor Chakwas?" It felt weird saying the doctor's name, but at the same time it rolled off of Giselle's tongue easily enough, like a particularly tasty wine. She mentally shrugged and only then did she look at her right arm, seeing she was hooked up to some kind of bag full of liquid which in turn was hooked up to a machine which was locked onto a metal pole. She looked inquisitively at Chakwas, asking her silently what the deal was as the woman brought her a glass of water which she immediately sucked down a moment later, making her cough as she drank it down too fast, but it was worth it as her dry throat immediately felt a lot better once she had settled on the cool metal table she was on. She noticed that her gear was gone, stripped from her person but she didn't let it alarm her. She'd been without it before when she'd suffered injury as she had this time around, and while it made her feel vulnerable since she rarely went without her armor or swords at the very least, Giselle wasn't about to panic. Besides, she felt safe if a bit out of her depth…wherever it was she was currently resting at.
"At least a day and a half Giselle, according to our time anyway. I'm not sure how long that might translate to your home planet's day/night cycle unfortunately. As for what's hooked up into your arm and what is on your chest." It was then that she noticed the IV wasn't the only thing that was running from her to other machines around her, the Doctor herself checking on one of them while her fingers danced over a metal slab which gave off the occasional beep of its own. "The IV, or intravenous drip is to provide your body with a liquid form of nutrients as well as medicine should you become ill since we didn't know how long it'd take you to recover from the fight you and Commander Shepard endured, according to her report. The patches attached to your bare skin help to monitor your heart rate and O2 levels. To put it simply, if your sats suddenly dropped, it'd give us some warning before you were too far gone to save. Other than the cuts on your arm and leg however, I had very little worry of it happening, but its standard procedure all the same, especially when dealing with an unknown life form such as you." While she didn't understand everything Chakwas told her, Giselle got the gist of it and nodded, relaxing as Shepard finally spoke up a moment later.
"It's good to see you up at least Giselle; I'll admit I was worried when you went down. Before you ask I got the girl home and with her help I was able to tell the Grand Duke of what happened as well as your own contact from the Harpers who happened to be in the main hall upon our arrival. Interesting fellow, tried to recruit me into his organization but I kindly refused since I already had my place here. He didn't seem offended in the least though, but he did promise that if we ever came back he would most likely have more jobs for us." Giselle was about to smile until she saw the look on Shepard's face and sighed heavily, having a feeling she knew what was coming. Her suspicions were proven correct as Alexandria asked Doctor Chakwas to leave for a few minutes before she pulled up a chair to her bedside, her crystal blue eyes grave, wanting answers for what had happened down in the guild hall. "Can you tell me what happened between you and him, Giselle? Why you insisted on making sure every single one of those assassins was dealt with?" Giselle stared into Shepard's face and couldn't look away, and nodded silently as she forced herself to sit up, grimacing slightly as her left arm flared up then to remind her of what that bastard had done to her this time, only to notice then as she looked down at her body that she was covered only in a heavy blanket. She looked to Shepard who blushed after realizing the same thing but Giselle just shrugged and made it a point to not let the blanket slip down further than it had already, pulling it back up so it protected the marine's modesty if not her own.
"Only because you saved my life most likely do I tell you this Alexandria. I don't divulge personal matters easily, especially this particular tale since what you heard was the truth, if you were able to hear anything beyond the sound of your own weapon anyway. Keep that in mind Shepard, that's all I ask." Giselle couldn't help the slight pleading tone her voice contained and Shepard could only nod, unsure if she'd be able to keep the dark skinned woman's secret since she was in a fair bit of trouble for losing the two men that had followed her. While she had done all she could with what she had, it didn't look good on her record to have lost two Alliance soldiers on her first mission as a Commander. Her commanding officer might want to know what their new….ally was the best word for her, had to say in terms of answering whatever questions would most likely come up down the road.
It hurt to admit it but only if she was asked directly would Alexandria be forced to tell given her current predicament. Giselle didn't notice the facial expression that passed over the human's face as she considered where to begin, and decided to just go for broke as she looked up at the darkened lights above, shivering slightly as she brought the memory to the surface. "Thirty years ago this story begins, I was younger, far more naive, and thought I knew everything like most young adults my age, and thus I didn't need to listen to my father who I'd learn later had been right all along. However, I knew nothing, I realize now, about how the world truly worked…."
She had run away from home. She had grown tired of the cramped mineshafts and caverns that were the whole of the dwarven complex which was situated in the Spine of the World mountain range, far on the northwestern border of the civilized lands. Everything to the south and east, even some of the islands in the sea, had to be better than the mines she had called home since before she had been old enough to think and reason for herself. Her older twin brothers by only a year, David and Seth, hadn't made life any easier for the younger Drow/light elf woman. In the one hand, David had been driving her nuts because he was the practical jokester of the two and the words 'personal space' had no meaning for him, and Seth because he was on his way to Silverymoon to study and finish his education in the arcane arts. He was allowed to leave while she was stuck at home, training under her father to become an accomplished ranger and an experienced wielder of a blade of her choice.
She had chosen the double scimitar style, or rather it had chosen her since nothing else had felt right to her hands. While it was what she wanted, while she did get to leave the communal and ancestral home of the Battlehammer Clan whenever they went out to scout and explore the lands around the mountains, they rarely went a week's walk away from the mountains before they would turn back. She had felt like a caged bird, let out of her gilded prison only to have a leash wrapped around her feet to prevent her from flying too far and becoming lost. Eventually she had had enough and disappeared into the night.
Only her father himself could have hoped to follow her, but no pursuit ever came which at first troubled Giselle as she kept her ear to the ground for rumor of search parties looking for her, but eventually she figured out that her father had let her leave so that she might discover for herself that which she sought the most. Even then she was far wiser than her years let on, having learned from the best teacher she could have ever hoped for, and he often said that she had inherited her mother's quick mind that was better suited to solving puzzles and riddles that he had trouble with. Thinking about her as she rested in a farmer's home on her way to Luskan, quite a trip for anyone on foot from the Spine of the World mountains, made the young woman's brown eyes mist over since she had never known her mother, the woman in question having died giving birth to Giselle.
All she had was her father's fond stories about her, the good and the bad, with the Spellplague serving as a backdrop to their meeting as they had. She sighed heavily and looked up to the wooden and thatch roof that served to keep out the snow and the rain, the smell in the air telling the young ranger that spring was soon coming again. That and the other signs of such favorable weather on the horizon were easy to see for an experienced wanderer of the woods and the wild places of the world as she had proven already to be, having taken care of a small band of orcs on her way to the farm before they had any idea she was among them. They had planned to raid and slaughter the family, keeping the strongest of them as slaves if she had had to guess about their intentions. She hadn't waited to ask before she had fallen upon them like a scythe through a wheat field.
That had gained the family's uneasy trust, but trust all the same, and so she had been offered a small cot by the fireplace, the only stone constructed part of the house she had seen. It was good stone, sturdy and strong and would probably outlast the rest of the house should a tornado blow by. She chuckled since she was thinking along the lines of a dwarf and felt a pang of homesickness for such a simple thought, and was tempted to turn back then and there, but she swallowed that feeling and locked it up tight, determined to see her own adventure through, somehow. She'd never been out like this on her own before save for when she was told as part of a lesson to hunt and learn from personal experience. She never knew half the time if her father was close at hand or not, his skill at sneaking about far greater than her own, but she eventually caught on to his tricks and was able to tell when he was about and when he was not during such 'solo' lessons.
Again she had to fight back the feeling of missing her home and rolled over towards the fireplace, finding little comfort due to where her mind had wandered. How long she had lain like that before she finally did fall asleep Giselle never knew, but the next morning saw the snow start to melt and the going easier when she left that same day. It had taken her three weeks on foot to reach the City of Sails, but it was worth the lonely nights camping with only the stars overhead to guide her steps. Faerûn was a beautiful land, full of life and bounty as well as danger sure, but she wouldn't have had it any other way. It would be here that she'd meet Marik for the first time. It was also where Giselle first saw how terrible the damage the Spellplague had wrought since it began three years before she had been born truly was.
The once almost living Host Tower of the Arcane, where the mages of the Arcane Brotherhood once ruled the city from a tower that was as much made of stone as well as a living oak, fused and created by magic spells long forgotten, resided and caused their own brand of trouble during Luskan's final days as an actual city and less a refuge camp as it was now. The tower was in ruins, the Spellplague that had swept the land, having consumed the edifice in azure flame that had reacted badly to the countless enchantments and magical items in the tower's walls, causing it to explode violently. Nothing but a crater remained where the Host Tower once stood, the damage having spread beyond the island it had rested upon. Then there was the Great Fire that had ravaged most of what had been untouched in Luskan a fair bit of time later, destroying whole sections of the once beautiful City of Sails. Despite what it had become and what it would remain as for years to come, Giselle was simply passing through, needing to stock up on supplies after her three week journey since leaving Mithral Hall. She'd end up taking someone along for the rest of her trip to Baldur's Gate as she went into one of the few buildings that hadn't been destroyed, the Red Dragon Trading Post.
The stone reinforced building's interior looked just as beat up as the rest of the city, more than one fight having broken out given the mass shortages caused by the pirate raids on merchant ships, as well as attacks by roving bands of monsters on the land routes. Nowhere was truly safe anymore, or so the stories said. Whatever the reason, Giselle still got strange looks given her black skin, and she sighed heavily since she had a feeling she'd be cheated out of her gold just because of what she looked like. "Just get it out of your system and have done with it." She growled aloud, but no one said a word, the entire main hall growing quiet as she walked up to the front desk and immediately heard something that piqued her interest as she turned her gaze to the right.
"I might be a mage but the Spellplague has yet to strike me down. I'm no fool, I know arcane magic draws the flames, and I haven't practiced a spell in that area since this mess started." A young man, 20 tops, spoke to a representative of the trading post who didn't look happy to be bothered by such a young fool as this. Mages were feared these days given the fact that most that practiced the arcane arts ended up dead, driven into insanity, changed into a hideous creature, or they just disappeared if the azure flames that the Spellplague brought struck them down. He didn't want to risk the chance the caravan he wanted to sign onto would end up in a similar mess although as far as anyone knew, you only had to worry if there were a lot of mages or magical items in one spot for the Spellplague to gain an area of effect on any ground. Still, the man didn't want to risk it and flatly refused the offer of guarding the caravan to Baldur's Gate for free. Giselle watched as the young mage stomped away, but before he could leave she put a hand to his shoulder. The man turned and met Giselle's brown eyes with his unusually colored yellow orbs, and stopped cold as he saw what she was. Giselle flinched away and turned her gaze elsewhere, expecting the usual verbal assault her dark skin color brought. It never came. "I'm sorry, I had just not expected to see a dark elf here of all places, yet you are not as they are, I can see that for myself already. Please, face me and let us talk civilly for a time."
To say that Giselle was surprised was an understatement as the man behind the counter just waved his hand in frustration and turned to the next in line. The half Drow got out of the way and soon stood by the young mage's side. He was….handsome, for a human. Short curly brown hair, a slender frame, and even then she sensed a deep well of power, mostly untapped, in this young mage's frame. He intrigued her, to say the least. "My name is Giselle Do'Urden, and it is indeed a change of pace from the usual racial slurs I've come to expect anytime I come near a settlement such as this. What might be your name?" They shook hands and Marik, as she learned, kissed the back of hers in a show of gentleman behavior, making the warrior's cheeks turn a shade darker than what they were already. He just chuckled and released her hand after taking note of how soft yet warm it was despite the layer of calluses he also felt, most likely from the swords she even then carried on her slender hips. Things from there on were far more interesting despite the trouble she'd find almost a year later. Their reasons for going to Baldur's Gate were different, she because she wanted to see the city for the first time, to learn of its rich and abundant history, among other things, and he because he called it home. He was returning there after a long business trip that had taken him as far as Ten-Towns, far to the north and west, beyond the Spine of the World Mountains. He didn't go into details and she didn't pry, and by the time she'd think about it again, she would have found out about his real employers and it'd be over between them.
She learned early on that Marik with his high cheek bones and almost regal appearance, especially when he was dressed in his embroidered robes of blue and gold, had a perchance for negotiating and charm, skills that she didn't possess quite as much as he. Things that would have been a huge sum of money for her, partly because she was a dark elf in appearance only and thus the racial hatred her kind elicited factored into the haggling process, and partly because she just had no real skill at it anyway, those same prices usually dropped to a fourth, sometimes even half their original value, especially if a woman was manning the counter of whatever shop they went to. Giselle would just chuckle and smile, watching the show for what it was, and thanked whatever gods still lived for throwing the man her way since that same charm always came back to her in spades. Young, stupid, and in love was never a good combination for people like her and Marik, both of them in their early twenties, and both of them eventually wound up in the same bed. It started as simple kisses, chaste, pure, but eventually as the days rolled by, it got more intense between them until eventually, one night in late fall, she decided to go all the way. Marik surprised her however and at first turned down her advances, showing a maturity rare for someone his age, and in a way it touched Giselle's heart that he didn't want to rush things.
Still, a little wine and a hearty meal can go a long way, especially when it was a romantic dinner at the Purple Wyrm Inn, surrounded by good company and soft music in the background thanks to a traveling bard company that had stopped in town that same night. They splurged for the most elegant room they could afford, and it was there, among scented candles, a four poster Calimshan silk sheet covered canopy bed, and a rose petal filled bath for later on did Giselle lose her virginity. Marik was surprisingly gentle and took his time in the most ancient dance there was, leaving nothing untouched as he explored her every curve and scar that she bore even then. While not nearly as numerous back then, Giselle had seen her fair share of battle by her 20th year, yet he cared not and only seemed to love her all the more, having kissed every single one of them before he stopped between her thighs. His mouth devoured her sex, his tongue slow yet diving deep into her for several long minutes, and Giselle cried out as her first of many climaxes to come consumed her.
It was glorious, her every nerve sang in bliss, and her breathing, usually so calm and controlled, was ragged and hard to attain. She loved every second of it, and loved it more as he gently tied a blind fold around her brown eyes, making every following sensation that much more potent as the night went on. Every need she had ever entertained for her first time was answered, every fantasy lived out as Marik stripped away her resistance one powerful orgasm at a time, and by the time he did enter her, Giselle was a bundle of oversensitive nerves, pleasantly stroked, caressed, licked, and brought to sensory overload. So when he broke through her final barrier, she felt little pain and embraced him tightly as they rolled about the bed, one second she on top, the next he was, his lips on her sensitive neck, her own on his ears and on his lips where their tongues dueled for dominance without ever losing the gentle pace they set for each other. She cried out his name as he drove deep inside her core, feeling his every inch as she squeezed and rocked her hips around him, the smell of their union only adding to her ultimate pleasure as it did for Marik. When it was over, they went over that cliff together as liquid warmth filled her sex as he emptied himself inside her body, making Giselle scream in ecstasy. They lied like that, staring deep into the other's eyes until sleep started to overcome them both, and Giselle knew true peace at last as they pulled apart only for Giselle to rest her head on Marik's chest, his own arms wrapped around her body in turn. It was not meant to last, as such whirlwind romances seldom do.
It was a month later when a carrier pigeon alighted on the window of their shared home, Giselle having officially moved in long before, and Marik wasn't at the house at the time, tending to some affair for a friend. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled the letter off of the little bird's leg that looked up at her inquisitively but simply flew off back to its roost. What she found was quite alarming.
Dear M.
Your shipment is in. The magic enhancing drug is in its usual drop off point, but in return we need you to kill the delegation from Neverwinter who has not paid his protection fee for the better part of this year, having gone through other channels. He did not listen to our counter offer, nor did 'other negotiation tactics' work as they normally do. The Zhentarim will reward you and your dark elf woman well, as I am sure you know by now. Failure to comply with this task will result in the immediate withdrawal of your drug and other, more permanent solutions might need to be taken. Do not make the same mistake as the Neverwinter ambassador is currently making.
Signed by. Lord V
She couldn't believe it. How could she have been so blind? At first she suspected it had to be a mistake and simply left the letter where he could find it since she had seen similar letters before but had not thought anything about it at the time. Carrier pigeons, while expensive, weren't all that uncommon, especially between military and mercenary bands. A mage was respected and feared in the same breath and thus they held power of their own, even during the troubled times the Spellplague brought with it. Even so, Giselle carried on as if nothing had come and greeted Marik warmly who in turn did the same, suspecting nothing had changed. It was a week later that everything finally came apart and what they had built together came undone at the seams.
She wasn't in time to stop the assassination entirely, rain coming down lightly upon the crowd as the man got ready to give a speech or other, surrounded by a half dozen guards, but she was in time to save the ambassador's life as she ran through the gathered crowd and pushed the man down as a fireball slammed into the wooden podium that he'd been standing on a moment before. Besides some cuts, bruises, and a couple of burns from the close proximity of the blast, both of them were alright. Giselle rolled to her feet and looked up to where the attack had come from, and saw Marik, his own eyes wide at what had just happened. The Neverwinter man's guards weren't as lucky as they burned, most of them dead before they had hit the floor, but one screamed his last as his flesh gave way to the flames. It was then she finally saw his 'stage mask' fall away and the real person underneath came to the surface. "So, you figured it out I see." He called down from the rooftop he had positioned himself on, having the tactical advantage, but only for the moment as Giselle clenched her fists tightly and glared up at her former lover before she ran into an alley, and then quickly ran up the wall before nimbly pulling herself up and over the edge and onto the roof. Only a well trained rogue could have managed such a feat. "Harper bitch thinks to stop me? I think not." The man growled, his yellow eyes full of madness and hate, something she had never seen before in his gaze, not even a hint of it. It was like staring at a whole other person, and it scared her more than a little as a stray breeze made her silver gray hair flutter out over her right shoulder.
"Just tell me why Marik! Why ally yourself with the Zhentarim! What could they possibly give you that you don't already have?! Would you throw me away for some fucking drug that enhances your power?! For money?! Tell me why Marik!" Giselle demanded, having not pulled her swords yet, too upset to think clearly about what was going on then, and thus it left her vulnerable to an attack by the one she had once loved. It came as a blast of lightning, slamming into her stomach and putting her on her ass on the other rooftop where she lay, stunned and disoriented, groaning in pain as the energy filtered through her. Drow blood or not, magical resistance or not, that hurt and it took her a few minutes to stand after that attack, long enough for Marik to have found his way over to her. He bodily lifted her by the front of her chainmail shirt and forced her to look him in the eye as he brought her to his level. She stared back, her initial shock wearing off only to be replaced by a deep burning anger at being duped for so long. It was the first time he had seen her so angry and he had to break their dead lock stare first which annoyed him to no end, but he spoke all the same.
"Let me tell you a little story then since you're so eager to hear it. Once upon a time there was a young boy, no older than seven years old, who wound up in the 'care' of a dark mage. Kidnapped from his home since his parents didn't want to be rewarded for harboring such a talented young mage away from his true calling, the dark mage burned down the boy's home and took him that same day. It was where I learned how to harness arcane might Giselle, and it was also where I got my first taste for the drug the Zhentarim provides for me. At the time I didn't want it, but my 'master' forced it upon me, wanting to see what it would do first before he started to take it. The effects were almost immediate as my power almost doubled. There was a problem however. Without it, I would die, a fact I learned when my master missed a single dose a couple of years later. He imploded in on himself, leaving me to fend for myself. It's thanks to the Zhentarim that I still live today. For my efforts, I do their dirty work, and they reward me with money and my drug I need to survive. Does that answer your question, Drow bitch?!" He tossed Giselle away from himself before he fell upon her, crouching heavily on her chest before his hands wrapped around her neck in a vice like grip. It became impossible to breath, and his berserker like strength was astounding as he crushed her windpipe between his hands. Whether by luck or by divine providence, Giselle found a loose bit of tile, yanked it free, and smashed it over Marik's head, shaking him loose before she turned and drew in much needed air in ragged breaths and coughs.
She recovered first, just barely as Marik cleared his head of the stars he'd been seeing, the rain at that time coming down harder than ever as she bull rushed him to the ground, both of them falling off of the house's roof they'd been on a moment before. She screamed as several bones in her body cracked if not outright broke, but she had landed on Marik, and so he wound up worse off between them. She remained conscious however, while her former lover fell into darkness brought on by his injuries. Standing on shaky legs, Giselle looked down and felt the tears wanting to fall, and she didn't fight them as she hobbled away, never looking back to see if he lived or not. Her heart was torn apart, a wound no healer could hope to touch no matter their skill. It'd take some time, but eventually she put it behind her and moved on, a habit that would last for quite a long time to come.
Giselle looked up, having at some point started to stare at the cold metal floor as she told Shepard all of her tale. Alexandria was struck silent, as was the listening Doctor Chakwas who had been standing by the door to her current infirmary since this was just a temporary posting, same as Shepard's. Curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had heard all but the very beginning of the warrior's tale. It was Shepard that broke the tense silence that had fallen, her voice startling Giselle out of her memories that she had dragged up to the surface after burying them for so long. "Despite the heartbreak you had to endure, that was the best story I've ever heard Giselle. Be it as it may, it answers a lot of questions I had about your behavior in the guild hall, and because of your tale I trust you all the more. You're human just like the rest of us, making the same mistakes anyone, hell even me, might have made. You loved, you were hurt, and you survived to live a better life because of it. Be thankful for that everyday Giselle; don't let this business with Marik make you something you're not."
"I couldn't have said it better Commander Shepard." Both turned, and Giselle was somehow not surprised to find the good doctor had heard the story given the hastily dried tears that were left around the older woman's eyes. "A lot of people could benefit from such a story Ms. Do'Urden since you've obviously experienced much and yet here you are, stronger than ever because of it. In any event, it's been a good three hours since you began, how are you feeling?" Giselle had had no idea so much time had passed, having no real way to determine the passage of thus in the darkened room, but she shrugged and said she was feeling better. And in truth she was. She felt lighter; the telling of her tale having lifted a weight from her heart she had forgotten was there since she had carried it for so long. She figured that Doctor Chakwas was referring more to her physical well being, but that too was in better shape as well, her exhaustion have passed to some degree. She'd still sleep well tonight regardless. The doctor did a quick check and took some more notes on what the half Drow would learn was called a data pad before asking her to hold her right arm out. "You look well enough to move about on your own. Besides a quick exam and some blood work, you are free to go about the ship if what I heard from the captain is true. Just be warned that getting in the way if there's an emergency could be dangerous for everyone."
Giselle nodded and let Chakwas do what she had to do, but something was nagging at the back of her mind as she did. She minutely winced when she took the blood sample from her left arm so as not to disturb the IV more than she had to, but that aside the half Drow could only try to process everything she'd been through in the last 24 hours. She'd met with a woman that was definitely a stranger from if not the stars in the sky, then at least a very far away land, had had help in defeating and rescuing a young woman from the Hands of Glory assassins, had finally dealt with her ex Marik, and was now in a strange….ship of some sort talking with an older woman while she fussed about her strange machines and tools. Still, that wasn't what was really bugging her. If she'd been out of it for a day and a half, were they even still in Baldur's Gate, or had Shepard's commanding officer taken them elsewhere?
As if reading her mind as Giselle winced noticeably as the IV was removed and a small piece of a white sterile bandage was secured over the puncture mark by the good doctor, Shepard smiled briefly and pointed to the warrior's belongings, or rather the foot locker where they were stored within for the moment. "We're still on your home world Giselle before you ask. Repairs are still being completed but they should be done soon enough. Despite the trouble I'm in even with evidence suggesting there was little chance of success against the hostile locals we ran into going to Baldur's Gate, as long as you don't touch anything you can wander about the ship, under guard since you did help us uncover Eclipse mercs."
"Do you still want my help Shepard?" Giselle asked, letting the sheet drop as she went to the locker that was by the door to the storage room in the back of the med bay. Alexandria looked away just as Giselle started to stand, and heard the sound of the foot locker being opened and its contents being pulled out and put back on as the warrior dressed in her old gear once more. It took her only a few minutes and before Alexandria knew it, she was once again staring at the strong warrior woman she had met on the way through the asssassins' secret base. Earlier she had looked quite helpless even with the numerous scars that decorated her from the neck down on both sides of her body to say otherwise, but at least now she looked like her old self.
"I guess it depends on what we find as far as my CO is concerned, but I'd accept the help since you know a lot more about this world than we do. To quote him though, he's 'ever alert and thus always ready for a trap to be sprung' on him, in my own opinion he's just plain paranoid." Giselle nodded as she sat on the bed again for a moment to adjust her boots without ever breaking their conversation's flow.
"So basically I have to earn my place with the crew, if that's even an option with this guy you speak of." Alexandria shrugged but nodded as she stood from her chair, heading for the door with Giselle right behind her, but not before the human noticed that Giselle suddenly wasn't there. She turned and saw that her new friend, at least she hoped Giselle considered her a friend anyway, had stopped to speak to Dr. Chakwas again. "Thank you for looking after me as you did."
"It was my pleasure Giselle. You be careful though, and don't let Shepard get you into any trouble." Giselle laughed and smiled, making Alexandria shake her head in amusement as the two women left the med bay. Despite how weird today had gone, Dr. Chakwas had rather enjoyed the company and the chance to learn more about life beyond what even they had thought possible. Looking over her scans again however made Chakwas wonder, and not for the first time, why on Earth Giselle's nervous system looked similar to a biotic's own, especially since as far as her scans had been concerned, there wasn't a trace of element zero, or eezo, in Giselle's system. Curious….quite curious indeed.
A/N. I do apologize for the very late update to this story everyone. I had and have a lot of RL stuff that came up and is still going on. Beyond that however I am ok, but things got pretty crazy there for a while and it might not quite be ok yet, but I am going to start updating and adding more to this story in the days to come. Expect more chapters like this in the future, but I'll likely head to Dragonspear Castle next and reveal more on the Eclipse and Zhentarim mercenaries that have made themselves quite at home in the region. Enjoy!