Fire and Water

by MorwennaTheWicked

NWN2 & MotB. You know the story. Dee is a ranger sent by her foster father on a quick errand to Neverwinter. She learns the difference between a bad man and a good man then meets someone who isn't a man at all as she tries to save her life and her soul.

60. Can You Go Home Again?

Chapter 60 Can you Go Home Again?

Usual disclaimers: Most of the characters in this chapter are owned by a whole lot of other people and not me, except for an occasional NPC and a bear and paladin-lovin' ranger. This is the final chapter, though I will probably continue with a second volume.

Casavir awoke after Lathander's light streamed through the curtains. He leaned close to his wife; her even breathing told him she was in a deep sleep. He said to himself, "So much for my notion of her being wide awake in the middle of the night." He reluctantly got up, tucking in the quilt around her, and went to stir the fire. After his morning prayers, he made use of the bath he had drawn for her, though the water was cold. He dressed quietly and considered laying out some clothes for her as well, but quickly thought better of it. He hadn't been a husband such a short time that he hadn't learned that lesson.

His stomach rumbled a complaint as he passed the table, but he ignored it and went downstairs to see if Cillian needed to go out. He need not have bothered, as the great bear Okku was remarkably dexterous, considering he didn't have opposable thumbs, and had managed to open the latch himself. He and Cillian had been to the river for a breakfast feast of fish and were ambling back up the street already, accompanied by Daeghun and Mas. Casavir stood aside to let them enter and talked with his father-in-law about how Dee had slept through the evening and the night. "I was worried at first that she hadn't awakened yet, but I figure she probably needs the sleep. I was about to see if there was anything I could find for breakfast nearby."

"I smell the flesh of pigs cooking across the street," Okku suggested. "But the smell of grease is strong, and the little one's stomach may be too weak for that yet."

"We passed a tavern down the street that might be a better choice." Daeghun looked back in that direction as he reached up and stroked Mas's head. "Mas, Okku and I were going to explore the wilderness close to the city this morning looking for telthors, but we will wait with her if you would like."

"Thank you, Daeghun, but I think it will be enough if Cillian stays with her." Cillian replied by giving him a nuzzle, then he lumbered up the stairs, following his nose to find the room where his bonded was sleeping.

Casavir wasn't sure what to make of the enormous bear, who was sniffing the air outside the door and gazing longingly at the cart of a pretzel vendor. According to Dee, Okku was more than a spirit; he was a demigod. He had a powerful aura of justice about him, and he owed the bear a great debt for helping his wife defeat Myrkul's curse. "Okku, I haven't had the opportunity to thank you for sparing my wife."

The great bear chuffed, "Do not thank me, tall one. It was she who fought the Hunger and spared me when she could have easily devoured my very essence, and so justice demanded that I stand by her." Okku decided her liked the little one's mate, who seemed like a good and just man, as far as humans went. "And besides, her heart is with my kind. I knew that when my little brother refused to join my side and also refused to stand aside while she and I battled. I told him, 'If you understood what manner of thing she is becoming, little brother, you would flee from her.' and he told me, 'I know very well what my bonded is, mighty one. It is you who are ignorant about her.' My little brother is cheeky, but then he is still young. But he was right." He offered one massive paw to the paladin. Casavir smiled then shook it.

Daeghun hesitated for a moment. "Would you mind explaining my absence to Dee when she does awaken," he asked, his cheeks coloring slightly, as if he was ashamed of leaving.

Casavir smiled kindly at him, knowing Daeghun hated being in the city, and guessing that Okku felt the same way. "I am sure she understands, Daeghun. If she was awake, I imagine she would want to go with you, as would I." He followed them out and locked the door, crossing the street to the bakery.

The shop was crowded as a queue of locals waited their turn for their daily bread. Casavir selected a dark, hearty loaf and and a raisin-studded scone for each of them, as well as an apple tart that looked remarkably like the one Rhetta Starling had baked in West Harbor. He made small talk with the other customers, one of whom, a Miss Tolliver, had been a casual acquaintance of his aunt's and recognized him, though because she wasn't a Tyrran, she hadn't seen him since he went away to school. She offered him helpful advice as to which nearby shops to patronize, and which to avoid, while he waited for his purchases to be wrapped, then made him promise he would bring his bride to tea soon.

Okku was right about the sausage shop. The smell of cooking pork sausage turned Casavir's stomach the minute he walked through the door, but he did manage to swallow the bile and buy a summer sausage for later, and a basket of fresh eggs. He went to a cheese shop next door, where he selected several he thought she would like and a block of fresh butter. At a spice merchant's shop, in addition to sugar, salt, and spices, the merchant carried a good selection of tea, coffee, and even Maztican chocolate, and he left with several packets. He next bought some apples and pears and an assortment of root vegetables, and the helpful greengrocer gave him a burlap shopping bag to carry it all in. He wanted to check on Thunder in the temple stable, and left with one less apple and carrot.

The High Justicar caught up with him at the gates as he was leaving with an interesting proposition. "There you are, my boy. I wanted to tell you that you've done such a fine job of assisting me that I felt it was time that you start hearing your own cases. I've always thought you paladins had an in anyway since Tyr can tell you if someone is lying."

"Me? A justicar?" In truth, Casavir had pictured himself hearing cases while he observed during court sessions. He had studied law in college before Tyr called him. But he had to consider his wife as well. "I'm honored, my lord, but I'm not sure what my wife's plans are or how soon she might want to return to the Keep, and we had planned a honeymoon in Cormyr."

Oleff patted his shoulder. "True, you have more than your own needs and desires to think about now. Think on it for a few days then, and give my love to your wife."

On the way he considered stopping by a barber shop for a shave and a haircut. His new beard was rather unkempt. But the clock in the temple of Lathander's tower chimed the hour. He realized he had been gone longer than he intended. Perhaps he would go in the morning and have his beard trimmed in a style that would be agreeable to both him and his wife. It was the least he could do, since she had grown her hair out for him, though he knew she preferred to wear it short.

His wife... Suddenly as he thought about her he longed to be at her side, so he hurried back to the house. He stopped by the kitchen, where he rummaged through cupboards and drawers until he found a kettle and a few pots and pewter plates and juggled it all as he rushed up the stairs to their room.

She was still asleep, but he thought after observing her for a moment as she frowned and muttered something that she was beginning to stir. A relieved Cillian got up from the floor next to the bed, nuzzled him again, then ambled over and curled up to sleep near the fireplace. Looking through a few closets and cupboards in the other rooms, Casavir found a cloth which was suitable to put on the table. One of the rooms was packed with old furniture concealed under protective tarps, but he controlled his curiosity and left off exploring until she was there to do it with him. He arranged his purchases on the table, and then chuckled as he thought about how thoroughly domestic he was becoming as he filled the kettle and knelt to hang the it over the fire. She murmured something else, and he thought he heard his name. He pondered either frying or poaching the eggs, but decided to refresh the water in the tub instead.

The sound of water splashing woke her up, and she panicked at the unfamiliar surroundings until she remembered she was home. She muttered as she looked around, "Must've dozed off." But as she yawned deeply and stretched, the light streaming in through the curtains told her that she had been asleep for much longer than a few minutes. "Cas has been busy," she mused as she spotted all the food on the table.

The sound of the water stopped, and a minute later, Casavir strode in quietly and hung his doublet on the back of one of the chairs. He grabbed the steaming kettle from the fire and made two cups of tea. As he turned to get started on the eggs, he realized she was leaning on her elbow, watching him. His smile lit up the room.

She smiled sleepily back. "Mornin' love. Sorry I fell asleep. I was hopin' for a proper reunion before all our friends come back."

She sat up as he flew over to the bed and took her in his arms, smiling contentedly as he drew her close. It felt so unbelievably good just to hold her again, and to have her hold him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Good morning, my dearest. I would love a proper reunion as well. Unfortunately, the others should be returning soon. I'm rather surprised they haven't returned already, but thus far I've only seen your father and Okku, and they've gone off again."

She sighed softly as she leaned back in his arms so she could see his face, and ran her hand along his heavy growth of stubble. "Unfortunately, you're right. Mayhap they'll leave us alone for the evening. So where did you get all that food?" She gestured at the table then buried her face in the crook of his neck, taking in his scent.

He grinned at her. "I thought I would go shopping while you slept. Your bath is ready, again, or would you rather eat first?"

Her stomach replied for her, though she looked longingly towards the door to the bath. He laughed and gave her a soft kiss then stood. "Or I could make us breakfast while you bathe, as much as I would love to join you." He attempted a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows, which she found not so much suggestive as adorable.

She took his hand and pulled him back for a final kiss. "Not only do I have the most handsome husband in the city, but also the smartest."

They reluctantly broke apart. She took her bag off her belt and watched him for a moment as he walked to the table. But not for long, as pleasing as the sight of him was. There was a hot bath waiting for her. She opened her bag when she got to the tub and took out a bar of Rashemi olive oil soap she had stored in a tin, and followed by pulling out a sack of dirty clothing. "I didn't realize I had so much laundry to do," she muttered as she wrinkled her nose and rummaged through the rest of what was in her magic bag for something clean to wear.

Unlike Sand, Safiya considered Clean cantrips a waste of magic and only used one when they were absolutely covered with blood and gore, or when they had a sufficient pile of laundry accumulated. But she had grudgingly admitted that there were slaves in Thay to take care of menial chores, so she had never had the need, except for her robes. Dee stripped off what she was wearing and added it to the pile then stepped into the tub, groaning loudly as she slowly lowered herself into the steaming water up to her chin. "Oooh yeah, I really missed this."

Casavir placed the pan on a wire shelf built into the fireplace and melted some butter then broke the eggs into it. He crumbled up a piece of cheese into the eggs and stirred it all around. It only took a few minutes to cook. He balanced two plates on top of the pan and put two buttered scones on top of those, and then managed to grab the two cups by the handles in his other hand. He paused shyly at the door to the bath and called out, "It's ready, my love."

She didn't hear him, as she had stuck her head under the water to rinse her hair. He felt a moment of panic at her silence and burst through the doorway. She sat up as he did and immediately slipped back under the water up to her chin, as he tried not to stare at her and struggled not to drop something. She blushed crimson as she realized she had involuntarily raised her hands to cover the new scar, and grumbled, "I'm bein' silly. You're my husband, and 'tis not like we don't have plenty of nasty scars between us. I don't think I'll be wearin' anything that shows cleavage any time soon though. Not that I have much to show." She sat up and took one of the cups from him.

A set of shelves was built into the wall next to the porcelain tub, and Casavir set everything down so they could both reach it. He leaned forward and kissed her softly then bent lower and kissed the new scar, causing her to shiver. "It's flushed from the heat of the water, so it looks worse than it is. Indeed, we are both covered with scars. It should fade in time. Sand might even have an ointment that would help heal it. Besides, I don't like other men leering at your bosom anyway. Those are mine, thank you." He flushed scarlet and looked down, still feeling shy about sharing such intimate thoughts.

She arched an eyebrow and chuckled. "Your bosom? Is that so?"

He chuckled too and met her eyes then caressed her breast with his index finger. "Yes, I am quite certain I claimed ownership. You know how fond I am of them."

She looked down at the scar with a frown as he rolled up his sleeves and squeezed the water out of her pale hair. "This is Nefris's handiwork. The most charitable thing I can say is she was in a hurry to get the shard and get me to that barrow before I died on 'em. Couldn't have that! 'Tis pity Lienna and Nefris didn't bring Safi into their plot. You saw how well made Kaji is."

He gave her hair a twist. "I feared that had happened when Omar told us your sword had been taken." He sat on the edge of the tub, scooped half of the eggs and one of the scones on a plate, and handed it to her. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that I couldn't follow you, my love. But I was pinned under a slab of stone. If not for the Luskan mage who found me while looking for you and brought me out, the rescue party from the Keep would have been too late."

Her reply was tinged with bitterness. "Those things had been watchin' me from the shadows for months. The Founder had the gall to tell me that she didn't see what I was complainin' about, because they made sure not to snatch me until after we defeated the Shadow King. I s'pose I should be glad those things didn't tear my foot off and only broke it getting me free from that slab. And considerin' what the old biddy did to Ammon when he followed them through the portal, I'm glad you and Khelgar couldn't come after me, and you should be too. Let's eat before it gets cold." She frowned and took a big bite of eggs and chewed vigorously to end any further discussion.

He raised an eyebrow at the less than subtle changing of the subject, but he complied, telling her at her request between mouthfuls about their escape from the Luskans, though she didn't ask about Bishop, so he didn't tell her about his resurrection. He too was feeling grim by the time he finished, so he told her about Daeghun's visit and his own shopping excursion, agreeing with her that they were going to have to see if Sand could come up with some kind of an enchanted bear door for Cillian, or even his own portal. He held off on telling her about the High Justicar's offer for now.

He watched her eat as he wolfed down his own breakfast, the hunger from his long fast beginning to catch up with him. He would get her to talk, when she was ready. "I don't know who was happier to see me, Thunder, or the temple's stable hands. I was thinking that small carriage house across the garden would serve as a suitable stable for the horses when we're in town. You should have seen the look on Vale's face when I asked if we could bring Thunder with us to Mulsantir."

She laughed at the thought of the mage, faced the prospect of adding the weight of a war horse to the Teleport spell. The sound of her laugh was music to his ears, and he relaxed as she replied, "Better that then have Thunder break out of the stables and tear the city apart to find you. That reminds me, Safi has never ridden, so we'll have to find her a gentle horse like Shandra's. Mayhap even Shandra's gelding, if no one else has claimed him. It would be fitting too, because Safi reminds me a lot of her. You probably didn't bring Blossom to town, did you?"

He smirked as she caught him with his mouth full. She chuckled again and set her empty plate aside as he chewed the last of his scone and washed it down with a swallow of tea before he answered her. "No, love. It seems Thunder has been busy. Orlen's mare had a little black filly, which was just the first of his progeny. We think he's gotten to five of the Keep's mares at last count, including Blossom. She isn't supposed to foal until the spring, but meanwhile, she's been confined by Harm to strolls around the inner pasture."

Dee stared at him in disbelief. "She's...in the spring?" Her face fell, and a heartbeat later she burst into tears. He froze for a moment and stared at her with his mouth open as he tried to figure out what he said that upset her so. He dropped to his knees beside her and took her in his arms, begging her to tell him what was wrong. She sobbed inconsolably for a few minutes, and he was thankful again that Tyr gave him the ability to calm. Tears fell from his eyes in sympathy, but then more as his comprehension of what had upset her grew, which she confirmed when she could speak.

She lay her head against his chest and told him what had happened. "Mavish and Yulia tried to tell me t'was common, and that we were newly married and had years to try again."

He kissed the top of her head. "And they're right, love. We can...will try again."

A few fresh sobs erupted before she continued. "But don't you see, it was my fault! I discovered I could let the curse feed off my own spirit rather than let it devour some other spirit, so I did. But I swear I didn't know I was... Can you ever forgive me?"

He stroked her hair. "There's nothing you need to be forgiven for, my love. At least that explains your nervous stomach of the last few tendays before the battle of the Mere. But the entire ordeal must have put a tremendous a strain on your body, don't you think? I also believe that if you had known of your condition, you might not have had the will to fight the curse as well as you did."

She sighed and threw her arms around him. "You would make a good judge, you know that?"

They were interrupted by footsteps on the stairs. The tread was far too heavy to be Daeghun, and it seemed as if whoever was approaching their door wanted to alert them. Casavir sighed and stood and dried his eyes on his sleeve. "I will ask whoever it is to come back later."

She stood and stepped out of the tub and looked around for something to dry herself off with. "No, it's alright. But whoever it is can talk to me while I do my laundry. I had a ton of it in my bag."

"If you're sure, my love." He wasn't in the mood for conversation, but if she was game, so was he. With resignation, he slipped one arm around her waist and drew her close for a gentle kiss, and left the room, leaving her to dress. He reached the door just as someone knocked lightly, and he pulled it open, surprising Sir Nevalle, holding several bundles wrapped in paper.

"Casavir!" he blurted out, startled that he was there to meet him at the door, though he had made more than enough noise to alert them to his arrival. "I stopped by the dressmaker and the tailor on the way back from Castle Never because the clothes I ordered for your wedding are ready. I imagine Dee will need to have some adjustments made to her gown." He considered his cousin's slender frame and frowned. "Perhaps both of you will. Oh, and I took the liberty of purchasing something suitable for her to wear to dinner tonight. It's an early Midwinter present." He handed Casavir two of the bundles of clothing and looked around the room. "Has she gone out?"

"Tonight?," Casavir inquired as he lay the bundles on the bed then took the third from him.

Nevalle arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow as he heard splashing sounds coming from the bath that sounded like someone was doing laundry. "Yes, I was able to persuade Nash to hold an informal audience at a dinner in her honor tonight. Your companions are invited, Daeghun, of course, as well as her new companions, the bears included. It will be an intimate affair. Besides you all, there will only be me, Sir Grayson, the High Justicar, the Prior, and the rest of the Nine, and Nash's closest advisors."

Casavir grinned wryly at him. "An intimate dinner of no more than thirty then?"

Nevalle shrugged dismissively. "Considering the throng she would have faced in a formal court, that is intimate. At seven, though you should plan to arrive well before then. Shall we say six?" Nevalle watched his cousin's face, reading something unpleasant there as a splashing sound told him that another garment was being wrung out. "How is she? If you're certain she's not up to it, I will ask if Nash will postpone it for a few more days." He couldn't help but observe his cousin's red-rimmed eyes, and was torn between giving him a comforting hug and finding out what was wrong, and leaving as quickly as possible.

Casavir looked at the door to the bath, which was slightly ajar. He answered truthfully. "She's as well as can be expected."

She huffed a moment later, "I'm fine." She stalked in wearing a billowing peacock blue Rashemi robe, carrying a bundle of wet clothing away from her body so it wouldn't get wet. "Tonight at six. After what we've faced the past couple of months, what's a court dinner with Lord Nasher? Unless he's plannin' on bringin' a dragon or some powerful undead to fight, that is." She pulled two of the chairs over closer to the fire and laid her laundry out across the backs.

Nevalle watched her dumbfounded, and his warrior's instinct was instantly alerted. She seemed anything but 'fine' to him, and it wasn't just her sickly appearance. He had seen that look in the eyes of soldiers who had seen one too many battles. He found his voice and put his hand on her shoulder as she pulled up two more chairs. "Dee, you don't have to do this yet. I will ask Nash to postpone it for a few days."

She smoothed the wrinkles out of a cotton shirt then turned and smiled tightly at him. "There is no need, Gilles. Isn't this part of coming home, so I can get on with my life? I want to make sure Okku and the others are there for the inquisition though."

As it turned out, their companions didn't arrive as soon as they had expected. After the play had ended, Neeshka, Gann, and an unwelcome (by Gann anyway) Grobnar had gone back stage to meet the actors and then made a circuit of festhalls and taverns before returning to the Sunken Flagon. After a late supper and leading the remaining tavern denizens in a drunken songfest, they finally staggered for their beds, not too long before Duncan's cook was scheduled to arrive to prepare for breakfast.

Likewise, Sand and Safiya stayed at the Academy long after the lecture ended. Few of the instructors and mages in attendance had actually met a Red Wizard, so everyone was full of questions for her as they gave her a tour. More than a few remarked on her exotic beauty, and the opinion was she didn't seem nearly as evil as the reputation of the Red Wizards would have led them to believe. She answered questions about the magic contained in her tattoos for at least half an hour. But other than informing them of the fields of magic studied by other instructors she knew, Safiya had little she could relate about life in Thay outside the sandstone walls of The Academy of Shapers and Binders. She sheepishly admitted she was far too involved in her research to care about Thayan politics. It was something many of the mages understood well, and they nodded in agreement.

By the time she, Kaji, and Sand returned to his shop, it was very late. But Safiya didn't fall asleep right away in Sand's guest bed, despite her tiredness. Instead, she weighed a tentative offer to teach, at least for the next term, versus returning in the spring to Thaymount.

She made up her mind as she drifted off to sleep that she wanted, no, needed, to see more of the world. It would be good for her to gain a fresh perspective before returning home. She had never been outside of Thay before her mother sent her to Mulsantir. In fact, she could have counted on both hands the times she set foot outside the Academy of Shapers and Binders.

But this night she had been exposed to how much she could still learn, and how much she could share. She knew she would never have this opportunity if she returned to Thay. So perhaps she would stay for a semester, or perhaps a year, or even two. The Founder was there for now, and Safiya had no desire to be headmistress anyway. And she and Sand had formed an immediate friendship too, despite her initial misgivings about him. It wasn't that she was attracted to him, not that she didn't think him handsome. But she already knew that no one would ever take Akachi's place in her heart, and that she would likely die a spinster.

The only thing that was on her mind as she surrendered to sleep was the question of whether to wear some of the other robes when she taught that she had acquired to disguise herself in Mulsantir, or to wear her red robes. "Red...the first day or two, anyway. Better for intimidating the know-it-alls among my future students..." she mumbled to Kaji as sleep claimed her.

Nevalle had seen to it that a summons to the formal dinner was sent to the Flagon and to Sand's shop through one of the Castle's guards. There was another private written message sent along for Sand sealed with Nevalle's seal, which Sand burned in a brazier in his workshop after he read it. Sand walked across the street and left a message with Duncan for Neeshka when she woke up that they would meet them at Dee and Casavir's house. He had observed the three of them staggering into a festhall when he and Safiya crossed the Dolphin Bridge, so he knew none of them would be out of bed any time soon.

He and Safiya spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon in his apartment loading what wasn't breakable into their magic bags, and what was breakable into crates. Kaji was underfoot far less than Sand had feared, and actually proved helpful. Sand told her he thought he would keep his private workshop here for now until he could create another at the new shop. He explained to Safiya, "I am on a yearly lease, and it's not up for renewal until the first of Greengrass. I shall give notice soon anyway, but as I pay the rent a year at a time, I have several months' time to complete the remodeling."

They made use of spells to reduce and lighten the weight of the larger items, such as his green alabaster bath tub, and then hurried to the new shop so they could unload everything in the former tavern before the spells expired.

As he and Safiya climbed up onto a wagon he had hired, he looked regretfully across the street at Duncan's tavern. He was going to miss their regular verbal sparring matches. He hadn't thought about it much, but until he joined the Captain's company, Duncan had been the closest thing he had to a friend in Neverwinter. He told himself he would drop by from time to time, but he knew in his heart that it was likely he would be far too busy to walk across the city. Still, he resolved that he would try, knowing he would need to get away from the stress of his new life, and suspecting Duncan felt the same way.

Dee and Casavir washed up from breakfast then opening the packages Nevalle had left, slowly becoming familiar with one another again. "I'm surprised Gilles didn't stay to watch us open these," she said as she untied her Midwinter gift, which contained a dark hunter green leather bodice and matching green silk leggings, and a white silk shirt, with a new knight's cloak to wear over it.

"I know how my cousin thinks. There was no need, as he was assured his selections are perfect because his taste is perfect." Casavir winked at her.

Dee chuckled lightly. "Yeah, that does sound like him." She set those aside then opened the larger package. It contained a maroon velvet gown trimmed with silver, cut in the latest Waterdhavian style, tight fitting through the sleeves and chest, then flowing out below into a billowing circle skirt. The sleeves were open under her arms and tied with matching ribbons, which meant they would allow her to use her swords if need be. Nevalle had even ordered a matching baldric to hang her swords on. She was dismayed that the gown had a plunging neckline, but luckily the neckline of the chartreuse under-gown came up high enough that it covered the scar.

Casavir grinned wryly. "I also told Gilles when he ordered it I didn't want your bosom exposed. I don't care what the fashion is in Waterdeep or Cormyr. He listened, for once."

She held it up and shook her head. "This shade of green, or is it yellow, is going to be hideous on me."

Casavir kissed her cheek. "It is rather garish, but you would be beautiful in sack cloth, my love." His doublet matched hers in color, but he discovered to his dismay when he picked it up that instead of trewes, Nevalle had ordered hose, though he was thankful they were pigeon gray rather than matching chartreuse.

Dee stopped his complaint with a kiss and held them up to him. "I can't wait to see you in these! You have such wondrous well-formed legs; 'tis a shame not to show them off."

He held up the doublet. "Thankfully this is long enough to cover the codpiece."

She chuckled lightly again and kissed him on his left cheek then gave his lower left cheek a fond squeeze. "These will be covered too, though 'tis also a shame to hide such well formed mounds from view."

He gasped at her touch. "Is that so? You wouldn't mind if all the local housewives leer at my backside or my legs as I walk down the street? Not at all?" He pulled her into a impulsive embrace, their earlier sorrow pushed aside, for now. The would get past this, in time, though he knew the wound of their loss was still raw and would ache at unexpected times.

She surrendered to his strong embrace, laying her head against his chest and closing her eyes. "How could they resist ogling 'em, though I will object if your admirers decide to bounce a silver piece off 'em."

He laughed then gave her a soft kiss, which she returned. They gazed into each other's eyes. That kiss led to a longer kiss and then another, with more passion. He drew back to look at her, needing her at that moment like he had never needed her before, but not wanting to rush her if she wasn't ready.

She smiled sweetly at him and nodded, no longer caring if they were late. There didn't seem to be any better way to come home. She whispered, "Lock the door." A moment later, Cillian stirred then stood and stretched. He ambled over to the door and looked at Casavir expectantly. "Cill's going to wait on the landing so no one makes it up the stairs."

Casavir did so, then covered the ground between them in a heartbeat. He picked her up and carried her over to the bed and shoved the new clothes roughly aside. "Hopefully no one scheduled another delivery."

She pulled his shirt over his head then set to work on the lacing on his trewes as he fumbled with the tiny buttons on her robe. "They can wait."

But their friends didn't disturb them, though Neeshka voiced her opinion loudly about why Cillian was sleeping at the top of the stairs. When Neeshka, Gann, and Grobnar first arrived, they were commandeered by Sand, who put them to work helping with the unpacking, while Grobnar was tasked with dealing with the questions of a growing throng of curious neighbors. But even the ever-talkative gnome tired of that, so he remembered he had wanted to run off to the temple of Gond to order a new pair of spectacles or two for Dee, to save her the trouble of doing it.

Most of the throng had dispersed by then anyway, except for a father and daughter carpenter team, who were persistent, but agreed to come back the next day and give a bid when Sand had time to think about the layout of his new shop and home. Sand had already decided to add a guest chamber that Safiya could use while she was here. Neeshka couldn't wait to take another tour to explore the attic for a room with easy access to the roof to claim for herself.

Okku and Daeghun returned, and Okku reported to Gann that they had managed to locate a few telthor rats and a pigeon. He and the spirit shaman agreed that they would explore the blighted land outside of the Keep for more in the spring.

"So you're staying?," Neeshka asked, immediately looking away shyly.

"At least until the next autumn rains," Okku replied, though her question was directed to Gann.

Gann smirked at her. It didn't take much to convince him to stay, with the promise of a budding friendship with the tiefling, and perhaps more, in addition to the promise of a fresh start. He had already learned that hagspawn were exceedingly rare in this part of the world, and so he didn't have that stigma attached to him. In fact, one of the actors that they had drinks with after the play had asked if he was some kind of elf or air genasi. He liked the lack of notoriety and the new aura of mystery. "At least that long, and perhaps longer, fair one. We will see where this dream takes me."

Above all the activity, after all their activity, Casavir and Dee lay drowsily in one another's arms in the warmth of the afternoon sun, talking and kissing and caressing one another lightly, until they got hungry again and left the bed to split the tart, which they agreed was almost exactly like Rhetta's. Dee walked over and peeked across the street through the curtains. "Rhetta told me her family's bakery was in the Merchant Quarter. Wouldn't it be an weird coincidence if it was right across the street from my mother's house? Not that my mother bought it until after Rhetta eloped. But still.." She determined to find out for herself, for Bevil's sake.

She returned to Casavir's waiting lap, where she fed him the last of the tart. The pain of their loss was put aside for now. They returned to the familiar comfort of one another. Movement in the rooms below signaled the arrival of their friends, but they were in no hurry to end the moment, until the clock chimed five. They both sighed then laughed together.

She gave him a quick kiss. "I never want to leave this room. What do you think Lord Nasher would do if I decline his invitation? Never mind, let's get this over with." She sprang off his lap as he tried to pull her back.

With another sigh, he stood and joined her. "Indeed. But sometimes I too tire of being responsible."

By the time they hung up their wedding clothes in their wardrobes before Nevalle returned and saw the mess they made of them on the floor, and then dressed for court, it was nearly six. She fastened her sword belt and looked at herself in the mirror as she pinched her cheeks. "Too bad I don't have my paint box with me. I could use some color."

Casavir grinned slyly. "Don't ask me why, since you had hardly worn paint for months, but I grabbed it while I was packing your bag." He fished it out and handed it to her. "I still think you're beautiful without paint."

"Yeah, but you're my husband, and you have to say that." He stuck his tongue out at her as she pulled a chair over to the mirror. He opened the curtains so the light was better and waited patiently, though it wasn't lost on him that she was stalling.

Their companions below had finished moving Sand's belongings inside the former tavern and had helped drawn chalk outlines of where he wanted the room divisions to go. They were celebrating with a bottle of wine, while Sand and Neeshka discussed how much time they should wait until they discretely knocked on the door, ignoring Daeghun's frown.

Safiya returned from the room where the guest bed had been placed. She had just finished a third change of robes, having lost her bold resolve to wear her red robes into this Lord Nasher's court. Instead she wore a shimmering pearl gray robe that was similar to Sand's, though she dropped the hood at the last minute to expose her bald head. That was enough boldness for now, she decided.

Okku looked up from where he lazed in the hallway, bored with the activities of the two-legged. "Here comes my little brother now." Cillian yawned bearishly as he ambled down the stairs and bowed his head respectfully to his big brother, and a moment later, Dee and Casavir followed, arm in arm.

Dee tried to smile brightly. "Are you ready? It wouldn't do to keep his Lordship waiting. His soup might get cold."

Gann detected a flash of nervousness in her eyes and whispered to those closest to him, "She's a much better actress than that one who had the lead in the play last night, though she's wearing about as much paint as armor." Neeshka nodded in agreement, while Safiya frowned at seeing her on the tall paladin's arm, still fighting pangs of jealousy, which she knew was only a residual reaction to Akachi's possession.

Daeghun and Okku led the way through the quarter to Blacklake and Castle Never.

The tables had been arranged in a "U" shape, with a high table for Lord Nasher, Prior Hlam, Judge Oleff, and Nevalle and two other members of the Nine facing them in the center. The chamberlain directed them to their seats in the center of the "U" with a space for Cillian on Dee's left and a space for Okku on Casavir's right, facing Lord Nasher's table. Vale and another mage Dee recognized but didn't know were there, as well as Ophala, and a Dawnbringer of Lathander. Her father sat beside Cillian, with Mas perched on the back of his chair, and her other companions were seated around the table, with her new companions on her left, and her old friends on her right.

Judge Oleff walked up to her as soon as the herald finished announcing them and wrapped her in a warm embrace. "It is so good to see you. You gave this old man quite a scare. Thank Tyr that you've been returned to us." He flushed and bowed formally to Daeghun, who took his hand and greeted him like an old friend, which he was.

An stream of servers who reminded Dee of ants set the covered dishes they carried on side tables, and others farther down the line placed baskets of bread around the table. An enamel tub was brought as close as the man carrying it dared to get to Cillian, and Daeghun interrupted his conversation with the High Justicar to take it from him. A few minutes later, Lord Nasher stood and gestured at the steward, who asked everyone to take their seats to begin the first course, which was a vegetable soup.

Though the food looked and smelled delicious, Dee only ate her soup. She toyed with the rest of her food and slipped most of it to Cillian. She found herself easily distracted as she waited. Casavir had to whisper to her or nudge her when someone close by asked her a question. Finally, after watching her through four courses, Lord Nasher whispered to the High Justicar and Nevalle as his chamberlain called for everyone's attention, "You're right, Gilles. There's no mistaking the thousand-yard stare. How much should anyone be asked to give?"

He stood. His face became a mask of neutrality as he walked over, followed by Nevalle and another of the Nine, and took Dee's hands. "Welcome back, Knight of Neverwinter. Your abduction had had many here greatly concerned, and we thank the gods that you're safely back with us. However, as your liege lord, I regretfully must ask you to give an account of your abduction to be entered in the official records. This will not be public information, but we must know the circumstances who took you and why. We have your companions' accounts of the Battle of the Mere already entered into the records, so you are spared having to repeat that, unless you feel you must."

She stood and bowed stiffly. Casavir was about to stand too, but Nevalle headed him off with a tight shake of his head. The bears were not deterred by diplomacy, however, and they stood on either side of her, with Okku coming nearly to her shoulder. If Lord Nasher was intimidated by her brace of bears, he didn't show it. She said just above a whisper, "Yes, my Lord." He nodded at her and returned to his chair across from her, and signaled her to begin.

She had to force herself to breathe. Both bears nuzzled her, and Casavir had subtlety moved his chair closer. She smiled at Casavir and began. "Forgive me, my lord, but I'm only tellin' it once, so the scribe best be ready." She took another breath and continued. "The first thing I remember is I woke up in a stone chamber in a circle of pillars inscribed with runes, lyin' in a pool of my own blood..."

She continued, though she paused several times for a drink or more often when her memory failed her. A few times she simply drifted off mid-sentence, staring off at something unseen in the distance, until Casavir or the bears called her back. Gann, Safiya, and especially Okku took over and filled in the blanks when her memory failed her or when she struggled to go on, decorum be damned. She continued until she got to her arrival the day before. "And Kelemvor be praised, we were allowed to use a portal in Eternity's End to come home. There's nothin' more to tell." But she knew that even though she had declared her account over, she wasn't finished yet until Lord Nasher gave her leave to sit down.

Lord Nasher sat with his hands steepled under his chin. "Where is the warlock Jerro now?"

"Ammon? I don't know." She shrugged. "I honestly don't care. He's more than earned his freedom. He told me to keep a low profile, and jumped into another portal. He's probably tryin' to stay one step ahead of the fiends he's made pacts with."

Nasher frowned. "I see. Is that the reformed Sword of Gith you carry on your belt?" Lord Nasher stood and walked over to her again, again flanked by Nevalle and another of his Nine.

"It is, my lord." She drew the sword from its scabbard and held it out to him across her arms.

He took it, and Nevalle remarked on the absence of the cracks that marred it before. After examining the blade, Lord Nasher offered it back. "I would imagine the Githyanki might make you a target again, now that the threat of the King of Shadows is no more."

She swallowed. "No doubt, my lord. I was tempted to leave it with Kelemvor, but I doubt He would have taken it." She sheathed the sword, wishing she could be dismissed, and fighting an overpowering urge to run from the castle and through the streets until she was free of the city. Lord Nasher said nothing, but he studied while he stroked his beard her like a sage studying an interesting new animal.

He finally broke his silence and smiled benignly at her, taking her hand and patting it with his other. "I feel that you should have a rest, Lady Farlong. You've certainly earned it. You're newly married, and I understand you are to have a formal wedding ceremony here on Midwinter Eve, with a honeymoon in Cormyr to follow? Perhaps it's time for you and your husband to have some time to yourselves."

"But what about my...the Keep? What about Cas's service to Tyr?" As welcome as his suggestion was, part of her felt like she was being pushed aside after all she had done, as if she was no longer needed, and her poor husband along with her.

Nasher smiled warmly, though she didn't feel the warmth in his eyes. "Captain Khelgar has made no objection to staying. There have been recent events that you and your companions might not be aware of. The Ironfists were helping clear a deep passage below the dungeons that dates from the Illefarn era, and they found an inscription on the wall that indicates that an ancient dwarven settlement was located nearby. Ironfist was one of the names of the clans on the inscription. A good number of the dwarves have elected to stay to explore further, while the rest have returned to the Ironfist stronghold."

"Khelgar had wanted to devote himself to his monastic studies." She wasn't trying to argue. She only wished he would just say it if she was to be replaced like a worn-out sword.

He dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand. "There is no need to worry about that until spring at least, Lady Farlong, as I understand he's being married then. You may return then, if you wish, unless you and your husband decide to take that honeymoon journey. I will find someone to send to assist Captain Khelgar and take over when he leaves. I have Captain Ballard in mind."

Black Ballard. She knew in her heart that it had already been decided, and that if Captain Ballard wasn't already on his way to the Keep, he would soon be. He was a good, capable man and would manage her keep well. It wasn't as if he had an undead army to contend with. She also knew there was no point in arguing. "As you wish, my lord. Might I have leave to get my things and say my farewells? My horse is there..."

He smiled benignly again, now that his knight was settled. "Of course, after your wedding, unless there's something you need sooner. I can arrange to have your belonging packed up and delivered to you along with your horse, if you would prefer. Or you may go visit so you can let me know how Captain Ballard is doing. Now, if you've finished with your cake, perhaps you would like to give your new companions a tour of the castle?"

It sounded to her like another dismissal, as if it didn't matter if she had finished or not. But she had no stomach for desserts and more polite conversation anyway. She replied with a curt bow, "Thank you, I will, my lord."

Her companions gathered around her. Daeghun gave her a fierce hug. "I had planned to return to the Keep tomorrow, daughter. But I will stay." He and Casavir both understood the implication of Lord Nasher's words.

She hugged him back. "No, you should go. I know Elanee has so much work to do, and I'm sure she misses your help terribly."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled at the subtle hint. "As I miss her, daughter. Very well, you can find me at her grove if you need me."

She nodded then gestured for everyone to come to her, all except Sand, who was engaged in a hushed conversation with Nevalle as he followed him though a side door. She hoped he wasn't arguing with him for her sake, just when things were looking up for him. "Come on, I'll give you the two sovereign tour, and then we can go back to our place."

"Are you alright, my love?" Casavir put his arm around her and frowned worriedly.

She put her arm around him too. "I don't know. I'm torn between going to bed for the winter and getting really drunk. Mayhap both. I'll let you know when I figure it out. Let's go home."