Author's Note: First of all big thanks to Neferit, the first person to review my story. I am honestly so happy that this story have at least one review. Well…here is more, and it is longer this time. I think the first part is really like a prologue instead of a proper chapter, I guess it serves as an introduction to the story: Elara coming out and what she will be doing.
Maybe it is because I am a student right now but I am pretty paranoid about plagiarism. So I thought I better mention this. I was reading this other person's fan fiction the other day "Longing" by Tasharene and I suddenly just noticed last night, ok…there is kind of a similarity in some part. So I want to make it clear that any is coincidence, I definitely did not plagiarized or anything! (although her story is much better then mine, I admit that freely, and people do tend to steal ideas from someone whose writing it better then their's.) Maybe I am being a bit paranoid but well, better to be safe then sorry right. So…yes, the two women both have some involvement with slavery, and a strange relationship with their master that is a bit love/hate in my opinion, and well, both got abandoned by their lovers and both ended up becoming killers as neither of them were willing to prostitute themselves. Well…they are all coincidence. I had the idea for Elara ages ago before I read her story.
That is all, I just want to make sure that I say this, in case people do accuse me of plagiarizing (I have not). As I said, I am probably paranoid but I feel much better now that I got this point through. Back to the story then. I am still not sure which NPC will be coming out, so the bribe (?), plead is still there! If you want a particular favorite NPC to come out then tell me!
By the way, large chunk of italic means flashback.
Woraen of Candlekeep found himself returning to the city of Athkatla once more with the knowledge of this not being the last time. He was more then a little disappointed to realize that the gold he gained from helping Nalia was still not enough.
Right next to him was Kivan, who was scowling as well, but for a much different reason.
"This city and this tavern is surely a sign of everything that is wrong with human's mad obsession of ruining nature by bending it to their will, when they should be living with it." The elven ranger complained once again.
"You must pardon me for not agreeing with you, my friend, for I am part human." Woraen interrupted him gently. "And you must also forgive our other companions for the same thing, as they are humans, not elves."
"You have changed, Woraen." The elder man said instead. "I remember how noisy our travelling companions used to be, as you never attempted to make peace or pacify anyone."
Woraen laughed in reply and he suddenly seemed rather boyish. Both Aerie and Nalia, who were seated at the table a few steps away from them, noticed this sudden transform and they were even more intrigued with their leader. They would have left their other companion immediately if Woraen's table was not occupied by some drunkards.
"Yes, do you still remember our other companions? Shar-Tel and Eldoth were constantly hurling insults at one another, and I was sure that she was going to attack him at one stage. Then Faldorn and Jaheira…" at the mentioning of one of his guardians Woraen immediately lost his now infrequent smile and the even more rare moment of merriment.
"Ended up summoning thunders and wild beasts at one of their fights." Kivan finished. It was hard enough for him to accept the loss of Khalid, whom he was only acquainted with last year, while Woraen had regarded Khalid as his guardian and knew him since his childhood. Things were made harder when Jaheira left due to the need of being alone, although Kivan could certainly understand it, leaving Woraen was still a bit inconsiderate.
As if all these were not bad enough, Woraen was constantly worrying about Imoen, as well as feeling guilty for the deaths of both Minsc and Dynaheir.
"All these things must be talk of, I know this." The young hero of Baldur's Gate admitted, "But not right now. I simply can't…I really can't."
"I understand." The elder man said gently.
"I am glad to share your company again, Kivan." Woraen said sincerely. "You are like an elder brother to me- the type of elder brother one should have."
He would never acknowledge Sarevok as his brother, even though they both shared Bhaal's cursed blood!
Yet someone had been perfectly willing to call Sarevok 'brother' even though they were not related at all. They were almost like him and Imoen, regarding each other as siblings due a mutual love formed in their childhood.
Images of Elara came to his mind once again. He was a man so he admitted that she was rather attractive, and her clothing helped to increase these feelings- her armour was quite tight, so they emphasised the curve of her body, especially the swell of her breasts. But even without the show of flesh he would still call her beautiful, he remembered the one time when Imoen forced her to wear someone's dress due to some reason, as well as brushing out her dark hair for her.
With her hair loose he could see that her hair was very straight and in a rather unusual style. It was actually in a variety of odd lengths- like the time when Imoen tried to cut her own hair. But instead of teasing her as being a scarecrow as he did with Imoen, Woraen thought that the very unusualness of Elara's hair made her even more lovely.
Elara…he was constantly thinking of her, and sometimes he was even unable to rest due to his fears for her safety. He did not even know whether she managed to escape from the collapsing temple alive, as she was still kneeling beside her brother's remain when someone dragged him away.
Despite her betrayal, Woraen was certain that Elara truly loved Sarevok. Was it not possible then, that she would choose to die with him?
"Have you…have you heard anything of Elara at all?" he finally asked, saying her name out aloud to another for the first time since they parted.
As to be expected, Kivan shook his head.
Woraen and his friends had only spent a few moments with Elara before they discovered her hatred for elves, especially elven men. Though she was not actively killing or insulting elves, the bitterness in her voice and eyes when she addressed Kivan, Xan or any passing elves was enough to discourage them from approaching her if it was not out of necessity.
Especially after she punched Xan. If Woraen was honest then he would admit that he was quite glad of her actions. Xan's prophecies of doom had been increasing at an alarming rate, and he was definitely getting more then a little annoyed.
Most of all, Woraen could never accept the other elf's point of view.
She did not seem to hate Woraen, although she regarded him as foolish for wanting to find acceptance with his mixed heritage. Strangely enough, this made him want to be closer to her, as she was the only one who did not care that much about his identity as a Bhaalspawn- she was more prejudiced by him being a half elf.
"Perhaps we will meet her soon, as she did say that she had been living in Athkatla for some time before she went to find Sarevok." Woraen decided, his voice rather hopeful.
"I do not think that she will fit in well with our current group." Kivan reasoned rather logically, although he was certainly biased. He did not loath her, as some of their other companions did, but she was a difficult person for him to like, or even trust.
"But her skills would be just what we need, Nalia is a very good mage, but the truth is that she is hardly adept at picking locks. She couldn't even unlock some of the doors in her own home!"
I want to meet her again, to know and understand her better, Woraen added to himself, no matter what the others say, I will not miss the chance if it is given to me.
Maybe it was because he was thinking of her, but he dreamt of her that night. When she was saying her final farewell to her brother…
Ignoring the others' protest and shaking off Woraen's grasp, Elara went to kneel beside Sarevok, the one she claimed to be her foster brother, as well as the one she had worked for and then betrayed.
"I can easily kill you now," Sarevok rasped out, his hand slowly lifting his sword up, "And no one will be fast enough to stop me."
"Then kill me." Elara whispered, her voice very gentle. "It is what I deserve."
"You betrayed me, out of your free will." He said instead.
"Yes. I don't deny that."
"Why? I would have made you into my high priestess. You would have been one of the most powerful mortals on earth." The sword was dropped out of his hand, maybe it was because he was getting too weak, or maybe it was because he was trying to grasp his lost dreams once more.
"I know all this." She said in an equal calmness, even though tears began to fall out of her eyes. She shifted his body into a more comfortable position- with his head resting on her knees. "Just as I know that you still have some love for me despite all the changes that we experienced. I know that our love is very different from the time when we were ten, but it is still there."
"So why did you do it? Why did you betray me?"
"I do love you, I really do. But I cannot let you do this madness, even I have this much scruple. I have done many wrongs before, but what you intend to do can actually make my crimes childish. That is why I know that you are going too far."
"Was it all a lie then? Did you stay behind in Candlekeep because you wanted to join with him, not because you wanted to have revenge against Reiltor Anchev. Did you sleep with me because you really needed some one to comfort you about your husband's departure, or is that another attempt of manipulating me?"
"I only slept with you because I wanted to," Elara quickly said, completely oblivious to the other's, especially Woraen's, shocked expression. "My husband did leave me, and I did need to be comforted because I really love him, and I did desire to be comforted by you. As for our father…you should know how much I hate him. You…you gave me so much and I…I still did this…I am sorry…I really am."
She finally began to sob openly, instead of only weeping in silence. Elara kept on whispering the apology over and over again, until Sarevok forced her to stop by clasping her hands into his for the last time.
"Rannie…it is too late to apologise for something when you already done it." Perhaps it was because he was approaching his death, but his voice was no longer so bitter, and he even addressed her by that nickname again. "Only…only do this one thing for me…bury me…bury me in that place where I first promised you that I will make you into my goddess when I become a god."
"You still remember that?" she said in wonder, her voice now completely broken.
"I though that was your reason."
"I promise you that I will do this." Elara whispered. "I don't know how but…but…but please find peace."
The woman reflected in the pool of water was not a stranger, but she was very different, more like a hopeful girl instead of the cynical women she had become. She almost looked like the girl she had been in her brief marriage of only two years. Thus, Woraen of Candlekeep should not suspect her when she presented herself to him.
Her biggest problem was that he already knew that she was a capable liar, having listened to her farewell to her brother…
She slammed her fist into the water as she recollected that day again. Why didn't he kill her when he could? Letting her go was so much worse, as she could never forgive herself for betraying him. She had done many wrongs before, but they no longer torment her so much, because her victims were strangers. But Sarevok…Sarevok was her brother and strangely he still loved and trusted her.
Perhaps that was his revenge, letting her live was always the worse path. If Aran Linvail did not interfere that day then she would never have become an assassin, and if Valygar did not rescue her then she would not need to throw herself on this path of self destruction, as she would not be longing for something that she did not believe to have existed.
"I wish I can hate you two. That would make my life much easier." She said to herself bitterly. "My chains are forged by myself, by the love I bear for you two."
As she walked along the docks of Athkatla and waited for her target, she recollected how she and her husband would walk hand in hand by the river near their cottage in Umar Hill. Though neither of them would say anything to each other, they were happy enough with the other's company.
These strolls made the others regard the ranger and his child bride as an affectionate couple, few suspecting that affection was the only emotion during the early days of their marriage.
He was a most devout ranger, but then she was a child of two large cities and until she was sixteen, the only wilderness she had been exposed to was a brief glimpse of the trees along the road the slave cart drove on. He cherished everything of nature and loathed all aspect of urbanisation. For his sake she had tried to love all these being and things as well- even restraining herself from hitting any rats.
There was a common love between them: the sea. One of the happiest memories of her marriage was the time when they watched the sea together, the evening before they left for Umar Hill. He somehow ended up with his arm around her, although he had vowed that holding her hand would be the only physical contact she could receive from him.
But they loved the sea for different reasons. He regarded the ocean as the only unpolluted part of the city while she saw it as the path to freedom. Now the sea would arouse a felling of bitter sweetness from her, as she would never have met him if it wasn't for the sea.
You should have killed your victims quicker, she thought rather sadly.
In a way, one of the elves who travelled with Woraen reminded her of her husband, she had no doubt that Valygar would be voicing the same complaints whenever they arrived in a city.
The difference was that Valygar had been the one to abandon his wife, instead of being the one who was abandoned.
At the sight of her target she immediately pushed all trivial thoughts aside. She must concentrate on her work, she must focus on acting out the role Woraen desired to see.
By the time that Woraen saw her, she was pacing on the edge of the dock, an obvious picture of one who was still choosing her path, even though she was already walking on it.
When Woraen called out her name she half turned and formed a surprised look on her face. The expression ended up as only half feigned as she was genuinely shocked at how much the half elf has changed.
When she first met him by helping him to escape from the crimes he had been falsely accused of due to her, he was rather grim and slightly melancholic, but there was still an air of optimism around him. The belief that everything would somehow be alright.
Now his eyes reflected both anger and bitterness against the world with despair finally being visible on his face.
Who am I to judge or care? She quickly reminded herself, I have changed equally much in a short period of time.
But to Woraen's eyes Elara has barely altered. She was still dressed in that leather armour with a short sword openly displayed and numerous daggers and darts hidden between the fold of her clothing. Her eyes were still sad, although there was a bitterness there which he believed to be caused by Sarevok's death.
"It is you then." Woraen finally said. "I am truly glad to se you, Elara. I was really worried about you, as I was afraid that you died beside Sarevok."
"I managed to stay alive, as I somehow always do." She said with a forced smile. "I had to grant my brother's wish."
"What did he mean by that? Of course, you don't need to tell me if you do not wish to." He added hastily at the appearance of a frown.
"When we were little, Sarevok and I used to sneak out to play in a secret spot," she began slowly, the sadness in her eyes did not need to be created, but forcing the bitterness out of her voice was much harder.
Her father would punish the two of them without fail when they returned, but they would risk everything as they could only find a sense of true peace when they were at that spot with one another.
"We naturally made promises there as we choose our future. Of course, such promises rarely last, I am certainly not the only one, but one never believed that when one was a child. So he thought that he would be a god one day, and when that happened he said that he would make me into his goddess."
Behind him, Nalia and Aerie were both frowning. Being females they naturally noticed the significance of their leader's interaction and attitude toward this woman more easily then Keldorn and Kivan. The conclusion was more then a little alarming: Woraen was being too friendly with this woman.
That was the other reason why she annoyed them. Unlike the two of them, she was not a girl anymore, but a grown woman. One who could easily gain an upper hand by using that knowledge.
"I am so sorry." Woraen began.
"His madness was not our fault, Woraen." Elara told him truthfully.
The difficult part was arriving, how should she work herself into his group without appearing as if she was the one that wanted this?
"But I would still prefer to not linger on it too much. No matter what, I regard Sarevok as my brother."
"I understand. Elara, there is much that I would like to know from you, which will include your relationship with Sarevok." Woraen began, almost stammering at certain parts as he was a bit afraid at her reaction. "But I do know that it is not now. So I would like to travel with you…"
"WORAEN!!!" both Nalia and Aerie cried out in dismay even before he finished speaking, while Keldorn frowned at the prospect of having a thief travelling with them.
But Elara's true test came from Kivan.
"I do not trust her." The elf stated flatly. "This is a woman who betrayed her own brother who she claims to love, and yes, you may argue that she did the right thing. But don't forget what Sarevok said, she killed her own father and framed you for that crime. Shaming you in your own home."
So there is a single wise man amongst a bunch of idiots, Elara thought, smiling lightly, I suppose this has to happen in order to justify why this task is given to me.
She preferred to keep her past silent, but this was no longer possible. Very well, if she has to use her story then she would make sure that she used it to her best advantage. At the very least she must make one person weep.
"I don't deny what I did, but my father is hardly a father. My mother was his mistress," technically, her mother could be said to be his mistress, as she was meant to do what mistresses would do if the wife couldn't bear any children, "and he threw her out onto the street when he discovered that she gave birth to a girl instead of a boy. The next time I saw him was when I was five, when I became a slave in his house."
"What…what about your mother?" Aerie stuttered out, thinking of her own mother, who, she was sure, must have tried to find her.
"My mother sold me to him because of money, well…life on the street was very hard." Tempted as she was, telling them how much she hate her mother and cursing her with the vocabularies she was meant to stop using was not going to help her at all. "My father's wife hated me and would beat me whenever she sees me, often right in front of him. Not only did he not care, he would occasionally do the job himself as a proof that he didn't give a damn about me at all."
"I…I see." Kivan mumbled, a bit shocked at the horror of her story. He was aware that such things might happen in some human societies, but he never expected to hear it first hand.
Aerie was openly crying now, and Nalia was staring at Elara with a rather dazed expression. Keldorn was clearly disgusted that such a thing would happen in the city of Baldur's Gate, which was like Athkatla in many ways. He actually began to consider going to Baldur's Gate as soon as he could.
"Would you like to hear more?" she asked, allowing her tone to become rather bitter, "About how my own father sold me to another master?"
"I am so sorry Elara," Woraen apologised once more. "For making you go through all this. But I actually understand what it must be like, to have a father who you hate and even want to kill."
"Yes, you actually do." She laughed, truly surprised that Woraen really did understand. Suddenly, the prospect of travelling with him did not seem so bad. "Do you still wish for me to join you?"
"I do." He told her warmly as he shook her hand.
For the first time, she smiled sincerely at him.
Author's Note: So, more of Elara's past is revealed- both her relationship with Valygar, as well as her relationship with Sarevok. What I am trying to say it that Sarevok and her grew together and when they were little they loved each other, but obviously this changed when they grew up, shown by how he promised to make her into his priestesses when they met up again, opposed to the promise they had when they were children: that he would make her into a goddess. To justify Sarevok being a bit out of character…my excuse is that Sarevok was dying, so he was thinking of the past and thus became a bit like himself in the past. As for Valygar, I think more is shown about his marriage with Elara, and obviously it is not a normal marriage. What else…
Woraen's character is super hard to do, cause I don't know what he will be like at all and this story is not exactly focusing on him. So right now he is like a typical 'good' bhaalspawn although I will try to make him have some character.
Kiavn will be appearing and staying. I think I want him to come out because I really like how he kind of becomes a guidance to the PC in Domi's mood (which I recently played). In short- this is meant to be the Kivan from Domi's mod. And I also want him to come out because the story of Kiavn and Deheriana can serve as a really good parallel with the story of Elara and Valygar, so I thought that this can result in some interesting conversations. (which is also one of the reason that the PC is male instead of female.)
As for Xan…whom I mentions in this story. I like the mod, but the mere fact that you have to be an elf in order to have a romance with him annoys me more then a little. As you can now see, Elara is quite anti-elf, a bit racist toward elves, not as bad as Belmin (that elf hater in the promenade), but she's still a pretty bad case. She will be automatically prejudiced against elves. This will really show when she talks to Kivan later on, because she would actually get on with him quite well if he wasn't an elf. Likewise, she probably wouldn't be as harsh to Aerie as she will be if Aerie is not an elf. I guess the main reason why she is like this is that I don't like elves that much myself, but I am like an oddity because everyone else does (I swear, more then half of the protagonists in every fan fiction are elves). I still read stories even if elves are protagonists but I just thought that it will be really fun to have a character who hates elves quite a bit. (As for her reasons…it will soon be visible. She does have a good enough one, I think.)