Holy ghosted fanfic Batman! It's an update!
"Your mother has a rather irritating habit of trying to keep her problems locked inside and not allowing others to see them or try to help her. I know this seems like a contradiction given what I just told you happened between us that night, but remember your mother is rather contradictory.
"She pulled me away from the others that morning and apologized profusely. She told me it was all just nonsense; that everything that had happened to her in the last few months, on top of a lack of restful sleep, had simply driven her a little crazy. But she was fine now, she assured me, the few hours of rest she had managed to squeeze in after our watch had done wonders.
"Did I mention your mother is also a terrible liar, onya? Even Minsc could have seen through her fabrication. She smiled at me as she said it though, and I desperately wanted to believe her. I think we both wanted to believe that the night's conversation had been the result of stress and sleep deprivation, but I could see the cracks along the edges of her smile. That night was like having someone point out the vase in the picture of two silhouettes and I couldn't not see it anymore.
"The signs were subtle, but there: dark circles under the eyes, frazzled and preoccupied demeanor, lack of appetite. She seemed to be avoiding people as well; she practically refused to go to any towns. Granted we did have a number of quests from the citizens of the area that required us to trek through the sodden, freezing, Sword Coast wilderness, and we did get several leads as to where the bandits headquarters were, but she seemed to be almost terrified of going to populated areas. Not only that, she seemed to try and avoid the rest of the group as well; trailing behind us as we walked or going off on her own to look for wood when we camped and then disappearing for hours.
"It didn't take long for the others to notice as well. She was exhausted and we all could tell. When she did attempt sleep, usually under protest, she would wake us all with her nightmares. The fatigue was blatantly evident on her when we entered Beregost a little over two weeks after leaving the stronghold.
"Mina," Jaheira said, placing a hand on the slight elf's shoulder causing the two to pause behind the group as they trekked through the cobbled street, "you need to sleep. There are many fine inns here-"
Mina shook her head, "I wouldn't rest even if we did stop, Jaheira."
The half-elf gave her ward a worried look. The two may have not known each other long, Xan noted, but Jaheira had instantly become a mother to the two orphaned girls.
"It's not healthy the way you're going," Jaheira insisted.
"I know Jaheira," Mina murmured, closing her eyes and shaking her head, "but there's not much I can really do about that."
"We ought to stop," Jaheira stated resolutely.
"Fine," Mina capitulated, to exhausted, Xan guessed, to fight the stubborn druid, "but first, we deal with Tranzig."
Jaheira's frown deepened, obviously wanting to argue it a bit longer, but consented to the compromise. The druid let the others walk on ahead after they resumed and fell in step beside Xan at the rear. He winced inwardly. He had a terrible feeling about why she would want to walk with him.
"I have a favor to ask you," she said after a moment.
Xan grimaced. He hated when he was right. "What do you need?"
She stopped in front of him, her face actually pained. "You are an enchanter, is there anything," she pleaded, "anything at all you can do for her?"
Xan groaned inwardly. He had hoped she wouldn't ask this. "I've already thought about it, and there's really only one thing I can think of that could possibly help her. The only problem is it's a rather... intimate process."
"Xan, she's dying," Jaheira stated. "She's wasting away as I watch and there is absolutely nothing I can do. I swore to her foster father that I would protect her and now she's..." She paused and took a breath. "If you have some way of helping her, please do it. I can't just let her waste away like this."
Xan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't even sure his idea would work. It likely wouldn't. But... well... he had to try something. "I'll do my best."
oOo
None payed the party any heed as they walked through one of Beregost finest inns and up to the rooms. They opened the door, with a little help from Imoen's deft fingers, and all quickly rushed in, much to the surprise of the inhabitant. "Who the hells are you?!" he exclaimed.
"Tell us what the Iron Throne is planning," Jaheira demanded, "and where the rest of you bastards are hiding."
"Do you know who you insult woman?" the man sneered. "I am Tranzig! Mage of the Iron Throne! I will destroy you all for your insolence!"
Fire erupted from Tranzig's fingers blasting towards the druid. Magic brightened along her skin as the fire uselessly enveloped her. she advanced through the stream of flame blasting towards her, scimitar drawn and low.
Tranzig stepped back and raised his arm to protect his head, causing the spell to dissipate, "Don't hurt me! I'm just the messenger, I'll tell you anything," he exclaimed, voice quavering.
"Lies," Kivan hissed, appearing from the shadows behind the wizard and pressing a dagger to his throat. Kivan reached into a fold of Tranzig's robe and pulled a wand from the wizard's hand. "You were going to use this."
Tranzig swallowed. "I'm s-sorry, I wont do anything now." He raised both hands up.
"Tell us everything you know," Kivan demand. "Tell me where Tazok is."
"I was telling the truth about only being the messenger," Tranzig stammered. "I know next to nothing. I only carry messages between Tazok and Mulahey. Please don't kill me."
"Where is Tazok?" Kivan repeated, his voice so low it felt like a growl.
Tranzig swallowed. "I'm s-sorry, I wont do anything now." He raised both hands up.
"Tell us everything you know," Kivan demand. "Tell me where Tazok is."
"I was telling the truth about only being the messenger," Tranzig stammered. "I know next to nothing. I only carry messages between Tazok and Mulahey. Please don't kill me."
"Where is Tazok?" Kivan repeated, his voice so low it felt like a growl.
"I don't know," Tranzig whimpered. "But he told me to look for him in either Peldvale or Larswood, they move all over the Wood of Sharp Teeth to avoid the Flaming Fist. I swear that's all I know, please don't kill me. I've told you everything!"
"If we let him go, he'll just tell his masters we're coming," KIvan aserted, pressing the dagger harder against the mage's throat. "It's best if we just finish him off."
Xan glanced at Mina. Her eyes appeared slightly glazed, locked in on something in the distance, Her head was tilted to the side and she nodded slowly, "Killing him would be good," she quietly agreed, though her voice sounded somewhat distant. He hesitantly laid a hand on her shoulder. THe touch was enough to snap her away from whatever seemed to be mesmerizing her. SHe shook her head sharply and when she spoke, it was a little more sharply than even she expected, "No!" She said sharply, a little more loudly than expected. "I mean," she quieted down, her cheeks turning slightly pink, "He's told us what we need to know. We don't need to kill him."
"As soon as we let him go, he will try to betray us again," Kivan claim, "or if he does not attack us here, we will lose our advantage when he goes to tell his masters we're coming."
Jaheira was nodding her agreement, "This wizard has proved his trustworthiness."
MIna closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, "No, there has to be another way than killing him."
"I won't tell anyone," Tranzig begged, "I'll go the opposite way. I'll go to Amn, you'll never see me again! Please just let me live, " he nearly.
"I could try something, if you would like," Xan hesitantly offered
MIna looked at him, something slightly desperate in her gaze, "What do you suggest, Xan?"
"I am an enchanter, I could try to influence his mind; maybe make him hold true to his promise of going to Amn."
Mina nodded, the corners of her lips turning up just so slightly, "Let's try that."
Tranzig's mind was surprisingly easy to influence. After a moment. I had him believing that he was moving away to Amn to start a new life as novice in the priesthood of Oghma. He happily bid us, his apparent friends, farewell and began his long journey towards Athkatla.
Mina was obviously relieved that we had found a relatively peaceful solution to our little problem, however others of our groups seemed less enthused. Jaheira excepted her decisions under only slight protest, but Kivan brooded. As soon as we had rooms secured for the night, he retreated to his in a sullen silence.
I couldn't blame the ranger entirely. I knew of his vow to avenge his wife, Deheriana, against all those who played a role in her brutal death. In his mind, I'm sure, all employed by Tazok, even a lowly henchman such as Tranzig, needed to be brought to justice. But I couldn't fault Mina's desire to fight against the dark desires she had begun to feel either.
Xan sighed and took a sip of his wine. He looked pensive across the room to the bar where Mina sat quietly beside Imoen who seemed to be regailing the bartender and some fellow patrons with some humorous story or other, all under the watchful eyes of Jaheira who sat relatively nearby them with her husband. The druid, noticing his gaze, walked across the common room towards where he had isolated himself. "You remember what you promised earlier?" she asked as she sat in the darkly upholstered chair next to him.
Xan nodded, "I do. You remember I said it likely wouldn't work?"
"We have to try something, Xan."
He gazed intently at his cup. A slight dark circle lined the inside from the various points he had paused in his drinking and a small dark pool, hardly a small sip, moved along the bottom as he swirled the glass. If he tilted his wrist just so he could get the tiny pool to almost -
"Xan?"
He put the glass down. "When they go to retire, I will speak with her. I will try to help, but that is the best I can do."
"Thank you," Jaheira bowed her head to him before getting up and returning to her husband. It wasn't too much longer that the druid again arose, this time with her husband as well, and moved towards the stairs up to their rooms.
Imoen, who surprisingly knew about their scheme and had not told her pseudo-sister about it, got the que and dramatically stretched while yawning loudly enough to likely wake those in the nearby rooms, "I'm gettin' a little sleepy." She clapped her sister on the back, "I think it's time to hit the hay."
Mina shook her head, "I think I'll stay up a bit longer."
IMoen frowned, "I can't just leave you alone to fend for yourself with all these drunk brutes about!"
MIna looked towards the one remaining patron, besides Xan, in the room with them who was snoring quite loudly, face down in a pool of spilled beer. "I think i'll be alright. Besides," she gestured towards Xan," Xan will be here. I'm not alone."
"I guess I'll trust him to protect you," she sighed dramatically. "But you have to go sit by him!"
Mina rolled her eyes, "If it'll get you to bed." She slipped from the bar stool and began walking towards Xan. "You don't mind, do you Xan?
He gulped, "N-no. Not a all."
Imoen shot him a broad smile from behind Mina and winked, "Okay, well i'm off then. Don't stay up too much later Min."
"Goodnight, Imoen," Mina said, shaking her head as she sat down. "Sorry for her theatrics," she apologized, positioning herself comfortablely in the chair next to him. "Cozy spot you found here."
"Yes," Xan agreed. He sat his glass down on the small round table between them, his hands had suddenly becoming a little to shaky for him to trust himself with the delicate glass.
They sat together quietly for a time, Mina gazing into the fire, her face relaxed, almost peaceful. It was nice to see her looking so relaxed for a change, he hated to disturb her serenity. After a time he finally broke the still, "How much do you know of elven customs?"
"Not much I'm afraid," she said, turning her face from the warm glow of the fire. "Gorion could only teach me so much, being human, and the library at Candlekeep was unfortunately lacking in books about elven culture."
Xan nodded, "I thought that might be so. So you know much about Reverie or Communion?"
"I know reverie is how most elves sleep, but its not really sleep. You relive memories, right?"
"Yes," Xan affirmed, "There a bit more to it than the simple reliving of memories though. It's a way for use to truly know ourselves. We live for centuries and in doing so accumulate many memories that help shape who we are. Reverie is a way for us to reflect and remember who we are."
"It sounds wonderful," Mina smiled.
"I wasn wondering, you've been having nightmares, do these also afflict you when you enter into reverie?"
"I've never been in reverie before."
Xan's eye widened, "Never? Not even with your mother?"
She shook her head. "My mother died giving birth to me."
"Yes, but often Mother and child share their first reverie before the child is even born. Its fundamental! It's part of how we truly become elven."
Mina shrugged, "If my mother did share that with me I have no recollection of it."
Xan shook. "That's remarkable. I've never heard of an elf who has never experienced reverie."
"Sorry," Mina apologized. "I really don't know much at all about what it means to be elven."
"No, no," Xan started, "I didn't mean it like that. I was simply thinking it might help you with your... problem."
"It might," she said after a pause, "but I wouldn't even know how to start."
"I-I could show you." His throat felt dry all of a sudden, but as soon as he began speaking, it was like a damn had burst. "Sharing a reverie is a very personal process. You're exposing everything you are to another person without reservation, letting them into the fullest extent of your being if only for a short time. Usually this is only done with people who are becoming..." he choked on the word. Swallowing hard, he continued. "Given how intimate it is I would understand if you did not want to attempt the sharing. I merely thought it might allow you to get a little rest."
She smiled at him, "I would really appreciate that Xan, thank you."
Strangely, he found himself smiling too.