Note: As usual, none of the characters are mine except a bear lovin' ranger and an occasional NPC.

Chapter 30 Stalking the Wily Wendersnaven, or When Bevil Met Katriona

Back at the Keep, Kana was in her office conferring with Katriona about training the new Greycloaks who had just been recruited from the nearby villages. "And don't forget we will be receiving even more new recruits from Neverwinter soon, which reflects the Captain's status as a knight of the realm. But I'm afraid we don't have nearly enough of you sergeants to train and supervise them. You're stretched too thin patrolling the roads and the surrounding lands as it is to maintain the rigorous training regimen the Captain desires for them."

Katriona nodded in understanding. "I wouldn't mind getting a day off every now and then either." She hadn't had more than an afternoon to herself in the past two tendays. "Don't get me wrong; compared to the way we lived outside Old Owl Well in a constant state of war, our life here is almost leisurely. But it would be nice to have a day for myself with no responsibilities."

Kana, who almost never took any time for herself (nor had it even occurred to her that she should), frowned as she considered that. "I suppose you're right. Some relief from your duties would refresh you. Be that as it may, I have a mind to promote two of the corporals who came from West Harbor. That way, it won't appear that the Captain, I mean the Knight Captain, has a bias towards her fellow Harbormen if I do it while she's away. And there's another Harborman who came with the survivors...the troops reassigned from Fort Locke. He comes highly recommended by his sergeant there who feels he should be given a commendation for valor in battle. Like the other two, he was part of the West Harbor militia, so he's been very well trained. Would you like to meet him and give me your opinion of him?"

Katriona arched an eyebrow, standing at ease and leaning back against the wall with her arms folded across her chest. Kana didn't usually ask for her advice concerning promotions. She said matter-of-factly, "Despite that, I get the feeling that there's something you're not telling me. You're not sure about him. What's he lacking?"

Kana said tersely, "Walk with me." Katriona followed Kana out of her office and through the audience hall. She nodded at the guards at the doors who saluted as they passed through. Once outside she confided quietly as they walked, "His fighting skills are solid, but there's something...I don't know, it's hard to explain...something lacking in him, as you put it, something that I can't put my finger on. Sometimes he's just not here." She thought about it for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought, before she continued. "He's like an ill-balanced blade, if you understand that."

Katriona nodded as she perceived Kana's real concern. "And you're afraid that he'll snap in the middle of a battle like an ill-made blade if too much stress is put upon him. Yet he's already proved himself at the Battle of Fort Locke, so that's worth something. Could it be losing his family is what's bothering him? Knowing they were killed after he left them is bound to be weighing heavily on his conscience."

Kana thought for a moment. "That about sums up my misgivings, but I suspect there's more to his story. I'd like you to meet him and get him on the practice field then talk to him and give me your own unbiased opinion of him so I can make a decision before the Knight Captain returns."

Kana led the way to the larger of the the two buildings that served as barracks for the male Greycloaks. A smaller building beside it housed the female Greycloaks, and another building was under construction nearby as well. She nodded at the off-duty Greycloaks who jumped off their bunks and snapped to attention as they passed, and they made their way across the large room. She looked around then indicated some Greycloaks gathered around a large copper basin in the back of the room near the privy. "That's the one standing over there: the tall, husky one with the broad shoulders." The man in question had his back to them while he and a few others were shaving, crowded around a small mirror.

Katriona thought she saw something familiar in his posture and his shaggy mop of sandy hair. She leaned close to Kana and whispered, "There must be something in the water in West Harbor to grow them so big, the Captain, I mean Knight Captain included. We should have Aldanon investigate it. We could bottle it and make a fortune!" Kana chuckled dryly. Katriona stopped in her tracks as she realized where she had met him before, though it had been quite dark then. She whispered to Kana that she had met him while they were in West Harbor the previous autumn, though she omitted the part about finding him hiding in the barn. As they approached, Kana called out, "Corporal Starling, a word."

Bevil spun, dropped his straight razor into the basin, and immediately snapped to attention as they walk up, as did the other three men shaving beside him. Katriona saluted sharply then smiled warmly at him. "At ease, men. I remember you, Corporal Starling. It was...Bevil, wasn't it? Glad to see you decided to enlist after all."

He flushed shamefully at the memory of that meeting and looked down at his feet for a moment. "Yes, sergeant, I thought about it for a while after that recruitment speech you gave, and then I told my ma I had a mind to go to Fort Locke and sign up." He looked back at the floor, struggling with the painful emotions that threatened to overwhelm him at the mention of West Harbor and his family.

Kana nodded at him and redirected the conversation. "Yes, Katriona does have quite a knack for recruitment," and she thought, "But her skills would be much more useful to us leading patrols through the surrounding lands." But it was up to the Captain to change her assignment. She turned her attention back to Bevil. "The sergeant here is looking for a sparring partner for a few rounds of practice, if you're not too tired." She assumed that he and the other off-duty Greycloaks were shaving in anticipation of making a visit to the Ginger Cat. Kana hadn't approved of the festhall when the Captain informed her of her intention to allow one at the Keep, but she had to agree that since then it had provided a convenient venue for the soldiers to blow off steam and had cut down on the fraternization between them as well as between the Greycloaks and the local farm girls and boys, much to the dismay of the latter.

Bevil was indeed planning on going there with his friends, but he wasn't in search of feminine company tonight. He had yet to partake of the charms of the staff, and in truth, if it hadn't been for Aimee, he would likely still be a virgin. He went there because the Widow Jons was someone he could talk to when he missed his home and his mother, as he did tonight. But he didn't want to turn down the offer of practice either. For one thing, they did need all the practice they could get. Because of his militia experience he could feel the coming war in his bones, unlike most of the other 'Cloaks. And the sergeant had kept his confidence, so he owed Katriona a favor. If she hadn't, Dee surely would have come storming into the barn after him that night. He wiped the soap off his face with his towel. "I would be happy to, Sergeant. Let me get my armor back on, and I'll meet you on the practice field."

They sparred with practice blades and shields for a good hour timed by the large water clock at the top of The Nine's tower. They then switched to a mace and a war hammer respectively, explaining to the 'Cloaks who had gathered to watch how edged weapons were less effective against skeletons. Finally, fighting back to back they accepted challenges from the 'Cloaks. He was very good, and she noted that he had a natural ability to teach as he patiently explained a shield block technique, going over it several times until the Greycloak he was instructing could repeat it to his satisfaction. Katriona decided as she watched him that it was a terrible waste of his skills not using him to train the fresh recruits, some of whom were so green that they had never even held a weapon before they arrived. That alone was justification to recommend his promotion.

Katriona called for a break for water. She drained a dipper handed to her by one of the Greycloaks then plunged it back in the rain barrel and handed it to Bevil. "You're pretty good! And I've really worked up an appetite. Have you eaten yet?"

The mention of food made his stomach rumble loudly and answered her question, and he flushed crimson as she chuckled. He said shyly, "I was going to have supper at the Ginger Cat tonight." He paused for a minute looking down at the ground then met her eyes. "But just supper. Would you like to come along? The Widow says that scout, Bishop's his name? Anyway, he's hunted a lot of game the last few days and traded some at the festhall for..." He looked down and blushed again. "So the Widow's serving roasted haunch of venison and new potatoes tonight."

Katriona had only been to the festhall once since it opened to celebrate one of the other sergeant's birthdays; it was too fancy for her tastes, and she didn't feel the need for the other services provided there. But she hadn't had such cute company before. He was cute, and he seemed very sweet, but that wasn't the reason she would recommend him to Kana. She reminded herself to be objective, but it was hard when she saw the hopeful look in his eyes. "I'd like that, Corporal Starling. Let's get washed up and I'll meet you there. I have to check in with Lieutenant Kana first." As she walked to the Keep, she thought that she would have a quick word with the other sergeants too on her way back, and if they agreed, she would tell them to drop by the festhall later with Kana and have a drink to toast the new sergeants' promotions.

She planned to suggest Kana to have the Knight Captain talk to him about what was bothering him, and she had an idea already based on his behavior in West Harbor; his sense of shame that night in the barn had been almost palpable. At the time she felt it was due to his being Lorne Starling's brother, but the more she thought about it, the less likely she thought that was. And then the possible reason hit her, and she froze in her tracks outside Kana's office and gasped—she recalled the priest of Lathander told the Captain how Bevil had been savagely attacked by some unknown assailant one night not long after she left, attacked yet not robbed, and he had refused to talk to anyone afterwards about what had happened. "They must have tortured him for information about her," she realized with a deep feeling of horror. "No wonder he seems so ashamed." But she decided to keep her suspicions to herself. Maybe the Knight Captain could draw the story out of him. She rapped twice on the door to Lieutenant Kana's office and stepped in once Kana barked, "Enter."

Dee and her companions had gone by ship to Port Llast on one more quest for Lord Nasher—to arrange with Haeromos Dothwintyl, the captain of the local garrison, to provide shelter for some of the city's refugees, with the understanding that they would be escorted to Silverymoon if Neverwinter fell and Port Llast was evacuated as well. She found him very genial this time when she was there in an official capacity as Lord Nasher's emissary, decked out in the full regalia of her rank, unlike before the trial when she could tell he would have happily hanged her on the spot. As they walked away from the garrison headquarters and she was grumbling to Neeshka that her spurs were so jangly she felt like a belled cat, Casavir leaned close and whispered, "Don't look now, but your mysterious aasimar is standing just over there near the road out of town." Sand and Neeshka glanced in that direction to see the woman for themselves. Dee had told them about the strange encounter when they arrived back at the tavern.

Dee looked at him perplexed. "Hells, how did she manage to get here so fast? She wasn't on our ship. Can the woman fly or teleport? How did she know I would be coming here? This is giving me the shivers. I hate feeling like I'm bein' stalked!"

Casavir put his arm around her and rubbed the back of her neck. "Calm yourself, my lady. If you think about it, there are any number of people in Neverwinter who knew you were being sent here who would have seen no reason not to pass along the information to someone asking for you. And the ship was fighting a headwind yesterday, so we really didn't save much time getting here by ship rather than by horse. Besides, she may have been on our ship for all we know, but kept her presence there hidden from you."

She smiled at him and kissed his cheek then took his hand and turned towards the inn. "Thanks, love. You always know the right thing to say. I'll meet her challenge again, but I'm too tired tonight. I'll pretend I didn't see her until morning, and this time I'll be ready to face her with every spell we have available." She cast a hopeful glance at Sand and was tempted to summon Cillian too. She had sent the bear back to Meilikki's care until they finished their business in Port Llast, but the woman had said she could fight with any means at her disposal. But she thought better of it. The woman had offered three challenges, so she would save him for the last.

Sand pondered his repertoire of spells and the books he had brought with him. "I always have several Stoneskin spells memorized as well as the usual physical enhancement spells, but I'll go through my spellbook tonight with an eye for something unusual she's not expecting." The thought made him grin slyly like a naughty schoolboy.

They got rooms at the Alliance Arms Inn, and Dee was glad that the boy they rescued from the well in Ember wasn't around when they walked in. After avoiding the aasimar, she didn't think she wanted to deal with the child seer's visions. As they walked up to the bar, Sand surprised her by offering to share a room with Neeshka so Dee and Casavir could have a room together.

Sand tossed his hair in response to their puzzled looks, and Neeshka just shrugged. He explained, "Well why not? It's not as if we have any carnal interest in one another, erm...not that I'm saying she isn't an attractive woman." He cast a glance at the pouting tiefling. "But we don't. I need to study my spells tonight, and she's quiet. She knows better than to go through my pouches after that last nasty incident, and I'll rest better than I would assailed by Casavir's tossing and turning, Khelgar's snoring or Grobnar's incessant chattering and strumming his lute all night."

Neeshka giggled and added, "Yeah, and I'll sleep better without you tossing and turning all night because you're without your paladin pillow."

Sand nodded at her. "And furthermore, we won't have to feel guilty about you two casting sad, longing looks at one another all evening until you go your separate ways, and you'll be more ready to face the aasimar if you sleep well tonight."

Dee whispered to Casavir as they climbed the stairs to put their things in their room, "We're really not that bad, are we? Sure, at first mayhap, but 'tis not like we're at it all night every night." In truth, though the initial fire of their passion had burned down to glowing embers that they still easily fanned to a roaring blaze, they most often spent their evenings talking, reading, working her forge, practicing a routine of stretching exercises together he had learned at the temple, and trading massages to soothe their aching muscles. And he had discovered to his dismay that while giving her a back rub always put him in the mood, more often than not it put her into a sound sleep.

But his blush answered her question, and he stroked her cheek and said softly, "I believe we are, or at least so it seems to our companions who are alone, after all. But Sand is right. We do both of us sleep better when we are together. I've grown fond of my ranger pillow too."

She started to say defensively, "Yeah, and I'm not ashamed of seizing every moment I have left with you," but stopped herself, afraid of the discussion about their future that would provoke, or rather, lack of a future, that she wasn't ready to face. Instead she changed the subject. "Let's get something to eat. I'm as hungry as a bear in springtime."

She and Casavir slipped out the back door of the tavern after supper, with Casavir going first and glancing around to make sure the aasimar wasn't waiting outside the door, so Dee could stop by Nya's shop and see how she was doing. They were accompanied by Sand, Neeshka, and Grobnar, who had insisted they visit an odd pair of gnomes camped out behind Nya's shop. "They could point us the way to the Wendersnaven, I'm certain of it." He gave them that gentle, childlike smile that made it hard for her to deny him anything even though she knew very well she was being manipulated.

They gave in and followed Grobnar then stood by and listened while he engaged in one of the most bizarre conversations with the gnomes that Dee had ever heard; she tried to be patient and waited, and waited, and waited, and then waited some more, and then finally with an exasperated sigh she blurted out, "Grobby, I'm sorry, but this makes no sense at all!"

Sand rolled his eyes. "Thank you, dear girl. I must agree. I'm done with this silly Wendersnaven talk. Do we really have to endure more of what passes for gnomish philosophy? I think I shall go back and see if Nya would like to join us for a glass of wine. Neeshka, are you coming?" He took the tiefling's arm, not waiting for an answer, and turned with a swish of his robes.

One of the gnomes peered up at Dee and muttered, "These tall ones have so little patience. Why didn't she just ask us for the map?" The other one replied, "I think it's because they're so tall that it takes a very long time for the blood to travel to their brains."

Dee smacked her forehead and muttered something unintelligible and no doubt rude then took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth. "There's a map? Why didn't you say so?"

Grobnar watched Sand walk away, and then he nudged Dee so that she would drop down on her haunches to be closer to his height. Casavir knew his secret, but he could be trusted to keep it to himself, and he stood back a discreet distance and stood guard to make sure no one approached. Grobnar sighed deeply. "I thought he would never leave. Even I grow tired of hearing my silly chatter. Now Enleva and Noduab here," he waved his arm towards the gnomes, "are my Harper contacts. It would take too long now for me to explain the code they're using, so I'll fill you in later on the way back to Crossroad Keep. You've been with us long enough now for me to tell you one of our secrets—while the Wendersnaven areindeed ancient gnomish deities, it's also a secret code word used by undercover Harpers to recognize one another. Remember that if you're ever far away from home in a hostile land. Someplace like Thay, for example." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Awful place that, and always blaming The Harpers for their own failed political intrigues and misadventures. It's a place to avoid, if you can."

Dee chuckled. "I have no plans to visit Thay, but I'll remember that. Now I think you were saying something about a code? I assume there was a message in the code?"

Grobnar blinked at her. "Code? Now where was I? Oh yes, I remember! So if someone should bring up the Wendersnaven, or simply use the word casually in conversation for that matter, you've found an ally. Remember that."

Dee patted his shoulder then unfolded the map provided by the gnomes. "I'll remember that, Grobby." She grinned at him wryly. "Tell me, is it hard playing the fool all the time? I don't think I could pull it off."

He responded with a whimsical smile and patted her arm with just a hint of condescension. "I'm an actor, my dear, and Master Sand's reaction is proof I'm a very good one. I've never deluded myself that I was the romantic hero except amongst other gnomes, of course. On the other hand, 'fool gnome' is the part at which I excel! But then again, we're all actors. As the famous Bard of Suzail said, 'All the world's a stage, and the men and women on it merely players.' "

"Some of us play the heroic lead, some the villains, and some like me play the clowns, but some of us try to play what nature has made us ill-suited for. You're the leading lady of the play of your life, but you must study the script to discover whether you're part of a history, a comedy or a tragedy, or even a farce. Or one of the new ones—a tragicomedy such as is written by John the Fletcher, where things seem very bleak indeed until the last scene. But the problem is you're not given any of the script apart from your own lines, so you don't know who are the heroes and who are the villains until it's played out before you. And there are no dress rehearsals."

Dee chuckled. "I've never thought of life that way, Grobby. But what if I don't like the script? Can I change it so it suits me?" She had only seen one play while she lived in West Harbor, and that was only because an acting troupe had a wagon break an axle nearby, and they repaid the villagers' hospitality with a performance while they waited for a replacement.

But once she was living in Neverwinter, Grobnar dragged them to theaters at least twice a month. She recalled one time there was an announcement that the understudy would be playing the role of the leading lady; according to the rumors circulating around the theater, she had run off with an admirer and most of the company's funds. The understudy usually played supporting roles like maids or nurses because she did not have a leading lady's grace and beauty; she was very tall and clumsy, with a big nose and frizzy red hair and a thick northern accent. But she knew the lines by heart.

Halfway through the first love scene, the crowd started booing then throwing rotting vegetables. The poor woman ran off stage in tears, but after a short intermission during which all projectiles were collected from the audience, the play resumed. But when the actress reappeared on stage, she had stuffed a large pillow under her skirt, which gave her the appearance of being very pregnant. Between the double meaning her appearance gave to the most simple lines and the way she delivered hers, she transformed the play from a romance to a bawdy farce. She got two standing ovations, and the only thing thrown was flowers. So to Dee that was proof the script could be changed. Dee reminded Grobnar of the story and smiled.

Grobnar smiled placidly back at her then burst her bubble. "You can try, but that doesn't mean the other actors will follow your lead. After all, they have their own parts to play."

She met Casavir's eyes. He was standing just close enough to hear and trying not to laugh. She beckoned him over with a smile and asked Grobnar in an undertone, "So what are we really looking for, hmm? Is this something that's going to help us with the the King of Shadows, or is this just Harper business?" She was still angry that Cormick hadn't gotten any response to the information they had sent out on the Harper network, much less an offer of help, and it was making her rethink her association with the organization. She had almost tossed her Harper pin on his desk. Cormick had tried to shrug it off and blamed the ongoing schism in the Harper ranks that had led Blackstaff of Waterdeep to start a rival organization. She had argued that Blackstaff's group, the Moonstars, should be helping them too in that case, but the problem was few in Waterdeep were interested in Neverwinter's troubles as long as the King of Shadows was moving north rather than south.

Grobnar leaned back to look up at Casavir and nodded in acknowledgment as the paladin drew closer. He whispered, "We're looking for someone, but we're also looking for an artifact he was known to be carrying before he vanished that will help us in the struggle ahead. He's a bard who goes by "The Relentless Poet," and he was last known to be heading for an area not too far from here. All we have to do is look around and make a report of whatever we find and rescue him if we can. It won't take us long, I promise, though I'm afraid to say that people will begin to doubt your sanity and worthiness for leadership when they hear the cover story."

She snorted and patted him on the back. "Yeah. Like they're not already. Sometimes I question that too. Let's get up early, deal with the aasimar, and look for your bard. If the gods are with us we'll be back here to catch the ship back to Neverwinter by high tide and on our way to the Ironfist stronghold within the tenday." She hesitated for just a heartbeat glancing from Casavir to the gnome then continued. "Oh, and Grobby? About Sand...I trust him with my life. I understand there are some that fear he might be a double agent for the Hosttower, but I don't believe it, and I think he can be let in on the secret. But it's up to you."

Grobnar smiled serenely. "I'll bear that in mind." He watched her quietly as she stood and stretched out the stiffness from squatting for so long. Grobnar thought as he watched her, "Yes, but then you trust Bishop too and never question what is his part in the play, but when it's all said and done, one never knows how the plot will play out until the final curtain has dropped."

Casavir came up beside her and slipped an arm around her waist, and she put her arms around his neck and kissed him then pulled back to look at him. "You trust me, right love?"

He looked taken aback by the question. "Why would you even ask that, my lady?" He gazed into her eyes trying to read the answer there and regretting his promise that he would keep her confidence and not interfere.

"We're goin' to look for the Wendersnaven," she announced with finality.

He grinned slyly at her, mischief twinkling in his eyes. "The Wendersnaven. Very well, my lady. If you believe the story, that's enough for me, and it will have to be enough for the others. Now let us return to the inn before the aasimar spies us, where I shall resume my role of your ardent swain. Oh yes, I heard that much." He punctuated that by wriggling his eyebrows suggestively and followed up with a playful kiss.

She arched an eyebrow. "Ardent swain—is that a promise?"

The second challenge match had gone better than the first since she wasn't caught unawares this time. Sand, Grobnar, and Casavir had cast every spell they could think of on her beforehand that would enhance her fighting or protect her from injury. Neeshka even lent Dee her lucky coin and had gone scouting for the aasimar early. She returned with her tail twitching nervously and reported that the aasimar was still standing right where they saw her the evening before. "She hasn't moved! Doesn't she need to eat or sleep? Or pee?," she muttered to Sand.

Dee was in no mood for breakfast but sat down to eat a few eggs, toast and coffee Khelgar insisted she have, so Casavir went to inform Haeromos Dothwintyl about the contest lest he arrest them for creating a public disturbance. He was interested in the competition after hearing Casavir's explanation and wanted to see for himself, then offered to marshal the fight along with Khelgar, sending one of his men for two quarterstaves for them to use. Casavir stood back beside Sand and watched the competition this time, assessing the aasimar for flaws in her fighting style that Dee could exploit the next time they met.

She had gone over the last fight in her mind and figured out when the aasimar would try the disarm technique, so she had only lost her short sword this time and threw a handful of dirt in the aasimar's face to give herself time to retrieve it. This would be considered 'fighting dirty' by many of the spectators, not to mention by Dee herself, but she felt an urgency to win. Besides, she told herself she wouldn't hesitate on the battlefield to use every dirty trick she knew against an opponent.

They fought without a break, and Dee feared that after another powerful flurry of blows from the aasimar she was going to have to yield because the only thing holding her up at that point was sheer willpower. Dee's arms were throbbing in protest at raising her swords again and her legs felt like jelly. In fact she was afraid that if they didn't stop soon she was going to lose control of her bladder. Most of the spells cast on her had long since expired, and about the only thing keeping her going at all was her Ring of Regeneration. But her opponent looked as ragged as Dee felt, and that gave her hope and a new burst of energy, so she growled and rushed her. The aasimar stepped back from Dee's charge and shouted, "Enough! I yield." She promised to they would meet one last time and limped around a corner without another word, just like before. Dee thought she had detected just a shadow of a smile playing across her lips as she turned away. Neeshka tried to follow her, but she could find no trace of the stranger. "All right, maybe she can fly," she muttered nervously to Sand.

But Grobnar's Harper rescue mission was not as successful. After searching for the rest of the morning in the glade indicated on the gnomes' map, they found the remains of the bard they were looking for as well as the orcs that had done him in, and his journal, which Grobnar quickly stashed away in his pack. But any artifact of wondrous power he might have been carrying was long gone. And then as Sand finished examining the remains and asked if he might see the journal, Grobnar threw himself on the ground, grabbed his foot, and groaned loudly—a bit too loudly Dee thought, but the others bought it, and it provided the distraction he desired. He insisted even more loudly he must have tripped over something lying there in the grass and felt around then held his empty hands up for the others to see the "Wenderkazoo" he claimed he had found. Dee played along as he acted as if he were playing the instrument. His distraction worked and Sand walked off to Neeshka and Khelgar in a huff, rubbing his temples while muttering about the insanity of gnomes being the bane of his existence.

They rode up to the Keep a few days later along the road that passed through the fields, where neat rows of spring plants shone brightly like emeralds in the rich black earth. Dee wasn't surprised to see the aasimar there down the road from Orlen's house, sword drawn, waiting for the third challenge. In fact Dee had expected her every day since they left Port Llast, and Sand had resorted to a Sleep spell at Casavir's urging the previous night as they camped because Dee was jumping at every sound. She slept peacefully sandwiched between Casavir and Cillian.

They had anticipated that morning when she hadn't yet made an appearance that the aasimar would be waiting at the Keep, and as soon as Neeshka leaned forward in her saddle, pointed and squealed "She's there!," Sand rode alongside and cast a Spiderskin spell on Dee, which Casavir followed with a Shield Other spell. Grobnar trotted up on his pony to sing an inspirational song accompanied by the high-pitched humming that was his new "instrument." But fake instrument or not, his songs always did the trick.

Dee rode closer until they were just down the road from her before she drew her swords and bowed slightly, and the aasimar bowed in return. Dee studied her a moment as if trying to decide upon a course of action then muttered, "Let's do this," and spurred Blossom. The horse gave a startled kick and whinnied loudly, charging down the road towards their opponent, her ears flattened and her head lowered in battle mode as she had been trained, with Dee guiding her with her knees. Dee made a mental note that her master of horse deserved a hefty raise in pay for the training he had given her. The others followed but kept their distance. It was all Casavir could do to rein Thunder in, who didn't understand why he couldn't charge too. Some workers hoeing weeds looked over at the commotion, and one of them threw down her hoe and sprinted towards the gates to the Keep for help.

The startled aasimar had only enough time to parry one of Dee's blows as she rode past then nudged Blossom to turn tightly for another quick pass. Being mounted gave Dee a great advantage, but the contest was over as soon as Cillian, who had cut across a field and come around the other side of Orlen's house, plowed into the aasimar from behind, sending her sprawling face down into the dirt. He gently rolled his bulk against her to hold her down. Dee slipped off Blossom and assumed a defensive posture.

The aasimar struggled to get up, but there was no way she could get out from under the bear without doing some serious harm to the creature and more likely to both of them, and she could tell he was trying to avoid hurting her even as his paws with his razor-sharp claws held her down. She turned her head so she could see Dee and said calmly, "I assumed you would bring the bear into our contest, but I admit the mounted attack caught me by surprise. Very well then, I yield. I offer to serve you in any way you deem fit."

Dee waved off the Greycloaks who had run out of the gate then called Cillian, who rolled off the aasimar and bounded over to Dee's side. Casavir dismounted Thunder and ran to Dee looking for injuries. Sand was hard behind him with a couple of healing potions in his hands. Dee offered her hand to help her up. "Light-of-Heavens, was it? I gladly accept your offer of service. I could use another sergeant if you're willing." She wondered at the same time if the rank was beneath her as she took the potions from Sand and offered one to the aasimar. But she maintained the same serene expression, so Dee took that as acceptance of her offer. "Come along. I'll introduce you to Lieutenant Kana, and we'll figure out where best to assign you, and then Katriona can show you to your quarters."

She introduced her to the others as they walked into the Keep, leading the horses. Neeshka shook her hand excitedly saying she wanted to see if she got the same tingle that she got from Casavir and extracted a promise later to meet at the tavern so they could compare their diverse heritage. Dee's first thought was to assign her to training the new recruits, but she had an aura about her similar to Casavir's, and Dee was inspired to assign her to recruiting instead once Kana finished her training so Katriona would be free to be reassigned to training.

She would discuss it with Kana before they left for the Ironfist stronghold, but before that she would discuss it with Casavir tonight when they were alone in their chamber and they could talk freely. She had come to depend on him as a sounding board and a source of thoughtful advice who wasn't afraid to disagree with her even if that led to an argument (and he was calmly tenacious enough that he wouldn't let them go to bed without resolving their disagreement). If she was the captain, he was the unofficial co-captain of the Keep, and everyone knew it or quickly learned it.

Once inside the outer shell, she handed Blossom's reins to one of the hostlers, who had come running as the word spread that the Knight Captain had returned. She gave Blossom an affectionate pat on the flank before she was led off and apologized for the spurs. Casavir followed them to the stables because few of them could control Thunder, though he had made great strides with training the temperamental horse; no one had been injured by him lately. Grobnar scurried off to check on his beloved construct, Neeshka and Khelgar resumed their good-natured bickering and decided to race to the tavern with the loser buying the first round, while Sand declared his need of a hot bath and a goblet of wine before he could even think of dealing with Aldanon.

Dee paused at the fork in the path that led around the village. "I should report to Sir Nevalle first if he's back from Neverwinter before we speak to Kana. It won't take me long." She glanced towards the reconstructed tower where Sir Nevalle's personal banner would be hanging if he was in residence, and beyond it she recognized something familiar about a man outside the men's barracks talking with Katriona. She blinked and wiped her spectacles then looked again. "Bevil?" she murmured, then she ran towards the figure followed by Light-of-Heavens, shouting his name to get his attention when she got close enough to tell it was indeed him. She threw her arms around him, and after a heartbeat of hesitation, he laughed and returned the bear hug. The questions poured out, and she gave him little time to answer. "It's really you? Thank the gods! When did you get here? Do you know how worried I've been about you? And you're wearing the Grey! And a sergeant's star! Oh Bevil, it's so good to see you!"

She caught Katriona out of the corner of her eye watching them, her arms folded across her chest. Her expression was neutral, but she was betrayed by a twitch at the corner of her mouth and a flash of anger in her eyes that had Dee puzzled until she recalled seeing the same expression long ago outside Old Owl Well when Casavir declared his intention to follow her back to Neverwinter. Dee drew back and smiled warmly at Katriona. "I've just found you another sergeant. This is Light-of-Heavens. Could you find her a room in the women's barracks and show her around the Keep after I introduce her to Kana?"

She broke away from Bevil so he and Katriona could greet her. Dee watched Katriona, who had a definite gleam of possession in her eyes while Light-of-Heavens shook Bevil's hand. Dee put her hand on Katriona's shoulder. "Here I've been worried about getting you some more sergeants, and it looks like you've already found a good one for me." She leaned close and whispered, "Bevil's just like a brother to me. We were practically raised together. You would do me a great favor if you could watch over him." Dee smiled as she saw the look of relief in Katriona's eyes and resolved to have a talk with her later when she had time, no, whether she had time or not, and tell her how shy he was. Dee knew all about shy men and the special handling they took. But they were worth the extra effort.