Chapter 54: New Beginnings
Qara spied Nimbrethil and Bishop coming and prepared herself for the game she was about to play. She knew that the elf would be suspicious of anything she said or did so she'd have to be very careful. She wanted out of this pigsty of an inn and away from that stupid drunk Duncan and this was her one chance. As they entered the kitchen she turned around and snickered, "I'm surprised you bothered to come back but I'm glad you did because now I can gloat." She saw them stop and look at her in puzzlement and couldn't repress a chuckle. "Everyone told me I had overreacted to others talking about me behind my back. Well, how does it feel? Sucks don't it," she sneered before turning back to the dishes she was washing.
Nimbrethil stared at the girl thinking that she still sounded like a sulky child but couldn't deny the girl had a point. It had been a most unpleasant experience and she found herself feeling a little sorry for the way Qara had been treated by them. "You're right, it was unpleasant and I can understand how being subjected to it constantly could be very upsetting," she replied.
"Oh please, don't patronize me," Qara sneered. "Like you care at all about what I think or feel." She turned away to hide the pleased smile on her face.
"I was not being patronizing," Nimbrethil said sharply. She paused for a moment and considered her options. She knew that Qara hated being stuck here but also knew that the sorceress would disdain the rough conditions that adventuring brought. She had only asked her if she wanted to join the group once because she hadn't wanted to deal with the girl's snobbish attitude and fortunately Qara had said no. However, she would be moving her base of operations to Crossroad Keep and, even though the place was a dump, it still wasn't the wilds and should be more to Qara's liking. "All right Qara, I'm going to give you a chance to prove that you can control your power and your emotions. What you did to the students was impulsive and fool hardy, and clearly showed you gave no thought to the consequences of your actions. I don't act on impulse, even at those times it appears that I do. I always have a valid reason, and those reasons are based on my experience and knowledge of the situation I find myself in. When I find myself in unknown territory I stop to consider the possible outcomes of my actions and choose the approach that affords me the greatest opportunity for success. When you accompany us I expect you to follow all my orders and you will not do anything that I have not given you leave to do. If at any time you fail to do so I will leave you behind, understood?"
"As long as it gets me away from here," Qara shrugged nonchalantly, but inside she was filled with glee. She watched the elf walk away and smirked at the glare Bishop gave her. He obviously wasn't happy about this turn of events, but he was smart enough to know that there was no changing them.
"It's not bad enough I have to put up with the idiot gnome, now you're bringing along the spoiled brat," he snarled at Nim.
"Right now I can't blame her for wanting to get away from this place and my uncle," Nim replied. "I feel the same way." She entered the common room and immediately spied her uncle near the bar. When he saw her he came hurrying over, his eyes landing on the marks on Bishop's face.
"I'm glad you're back Nim," he smiled, the relief evident in his voice.
"We need to have a talk uncle," she growled, her eyes flashing with anger. "Let's go outside," she told him and turned away expecting him to follow.
Bishop couldn't keep from grinning at the thought of what that conversation would be like. Fingering the marks on his cheek he chuckled, "I hope you come out of that confrontation with your hide intact. My kitten has very sharp claws." He saw the anger flare in Duncan's eyes and smirked. "I wouldn't keep her waiting if I were you."
Duncan hesitated a bit before following his niece, Bishop's glee unsettling him a little. He had thought that Nim would have been calmed down by now but apparently she wasn't and it made him nervous. As he left the inn by the back door he saw her disappear into the tree line and followed quickly. He finally caught up with her where she was leaning back against a tree and stopped and waited to hear what she had to say.
"Bishop told me about what happened all those years ago uncle," she began and saw him start with surprise. "I suppose you thought you were being generous but honestly, how could you do something like that? I hadn't pegged you as a cruel or vinidictive person, but that's exactly how you behaved."
Duncan gaped in surprise at his niece, unable to believe what he just heard. "He told you everything?"
"Yes Duncan he did," she snapped. "After that little conversation of yours I overheard, I made him tell me. What galls me is your actions after the fact and the way you've treated him all this time. Did you ever once stop and ask him his side of the story? Did you even bother to try to understand why he did it, or did you just assume that he was a piece of scum to be used however you pleased?"
"Nim, you don't understand," Duncan argued. "He is a murderer and if I could have proved anything I would have seen him hang for it."
"So instead you threatened to let Luskan know what happened if he didn't do what you told him to do," Nimbrethil said in disgust. "That's slavery uncle, the same as putting a ball and chain around his leg. Apparently you're more human than elf, or perhaps you've spent too much time among humans, for that is exactly how a human would behave."
"I don't have to defend my actions to you," he growled.
"No you don't," she nodded in agreement. "However, I will not allow you to hold this threat over his head any longer. You will tell him he is free of any obligation to you and that will be the end of it. If you think to go against my wishes in this matter then know this. If you so much as breath a word of it to the wrong people I will see you dead myself, are we clear?" she finished, locking her cold gaze on him.
Duncan paled at the look in her eyes for she meant every word she just said. "Nim, I'm family. You couldn't do that," he stammered out.
"Yes I could if it means protecting him from being subjected to any more harsh treatment at the hands of others," Nimbrethil said firmly. "He was never given a chance to be other than what he is and I intend to give him that chance. He can't change the past, but his future is wide open and he deserves the opportunity to change his ways. I would do the same for anyone, regardless of where they came from or what they did."
Duncan heard the sincerity in her voice and nodded. He also realized that his niece had fallen in love with the ranger, but apparently didn't know it yet. He knew what love could make people do and knew that it would make her capable of what she threatened. "I will tell him today," he told her.
Nodding, Nimbrethil headed back to the inn. "I think it is good that I will be going to Crossroad Keep for it will give us some time away from each other," she said.
Duncan watched her go feeling tears well up at how cold she was towards him now. He had really stepped in it this time and he wished he had never said the things he did. Now she appeared to hate him and it hurt deeply. He knew that she wouldn't want to see him at the keep, at least not anytime soon. However, Sal had mentioned more than once that he wanted to open his own inn, and the keep would be a perfect place for it. At least that way he would still be able to keep tabs on her and make sure she was okay. Daeghun would have his hide if he didn't and he didn't relish the thought of what his brother would do to him. They were like two peas in a pod, his brother and his niece, and he didn't know which he feared more right now. Sighing, he followed her back to the inn, feeling like life was taking a turn for the worse.
*****
Nimbrethil sighed as she sorted through all the things she would be taking with her even though she didn't have all that many material possessions. She had seen how cluttered Shandra's and Neehska's rooms were and didn't really understand their need for material things. They couldn't make one happy and they didn't serve any useful purpose. Thinking of Shandra brought to mind the way both her and Casavir had apologized to Bishop. They had seemed sincere and Bishop had nodded acceptance of their apologies after she had poked him in the ribs. It remained to be seen whether or not things would change in the group. She had then told everyone that she didn't want to witness such backstabbing again, and that if they had any valid concerns they were to speak up and talk about them. She had made sure they understood that she would not tolerate anyone acting on suspicion or half-baked ideas. She expected them to back up what they said with fact, not fiction or supposition. A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts and she went to see who it was. Opening the door, she saw both Sand and Shandra standing there, determined looks on their faces and groaned inwardly, wondering what was wrong now.
"Might we come in and talk for a bit dear girl?" Sand said pleasantly.
"I suppose you won't go away until you do?" she sighed and stepped back to let them enter, closing the door behind them. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong but we do have some concerns and you did say you expected us to voice them to you," Sand replied with a slight smirk.
"You see there is a problem in our little group that we feel you are not fully aware of," Shandra began. "Given your upbringing and lack of close contact with human males it is understandable that you wouldn't be."
"I assume you are talking about Bishop and Casavir as they happen to be the only two in the group that fit that description," Nim snorted. "So what is it?"
"My dear, most human males are driven by simple desires," Sand began. "Good food, good drink, and good companionship. These are the three things that the majority look forward to in their every day lives. When you mix in hormones though things can get complicated really fast, and humans tend to be more hormone driven than other races."
"What Sand is beating around the bush about is the way both of them feel about you," Shandra said impatiently. Seeing the look of confusion on Nim's face she sighed. "Listen, Casavir has some very deep feelings for you and so does Bishop, though neither of them want to admit it. Even worse is the fact that they both know how the other feels and it grates on them. You chose Bishop and he feels protective of his territory, especially when Casavir steps in it. Casavir on the other hand can't reconcile his personal feelings and his desire to honor his pledge to assist you in your cause. Something that most paladins have a problem doing by the way."
"The point is that having those two around each other all the time is like having two roosters in the hen house," Sand spoke up. "We have already talked to Casavir about this and he has agreed to try to behave around Bishop. However, you are the one who is going to have to talk with Bishop and see if you can get him to behave better around Casavir. That is, if you ever want to have peace in the group, for Casavir cannot be expected to always ignore Bishop and the things he says or does."
Nimbrethil just stared at them incredulously for a moment and then started laughing. "Gods you don't ask for much do you," she chuckled. "I know that I am able to influence Bishop to some degree, but you're asking me to control him. That's something that goes against my nature and would be an enormous task for anyone, even me wizard."
"I do not think you will find it as hard as it seems dear girl," Sand said calmly. "Because Bishop does have strong feelings for you, he is far more willing to do things that make you happy than not. If you tell him that it would make you happy if he stopped baiting the paladin all the time he will do it. Trust me, I have much more experience in these matters than anyone else and I know what I am talking about."
"Sand's right," Shandra nodded. "At this point in time, Bishop is more concerned about keeping you happy, even if on the pretext of sharing your bed. If you don't do this then you will have no choice but to exlude Casavir from all future things and that would hurt him very much. I don't think you want that, do you?"
"Why do you assume it would be Casavir I would exclude and not Bishop?" Nim retorted. "You think I can't go anywhere without him or what?"
"Oh please girl, do not be coy," Sand rolled his eyes. "You care for Bishop far more than you want to admit to yourself. I would go so far as to say that you are in love with him yes?" he arched an eyebrow at her.
"In love? With a human?" Nimbrethil laughed. "Don't be silly wizard, I'm not so crazy as that," she protested.
Sand and Shandra exchanged a look with each other. "So maybe we're wrong, but regardless you have to do something about Bishop for you're the only who can," Shandra said as she headed for the door. "Just think about it, okay?" she asked as she left, Sand on her heels. As she closed the door she saw Nimbrethil staring out the window, a far away look on her face.
"Well it seems to me that the girl protests too much," Sand murmured. "To be expected given the girl's upbringing."
"Unfortunately, in my opinion, she has chosen the wrong human to fall in love with," Shandra shook her head.
"Yes, but we cannot always choose who we lose our hearts to," Sand retorted. "Otherwise, we would not be having the problems we currently do between Casavir and Bishop. I just hope that Nim understands the seriousness of the situation." Together they headed back to the common room for dinner.
Nimbrethil stared out the window mulling over everything that had been said. Now that they had pointed it out she could see the truth of the matter. But honestly, to go so far as to say she had fallen in love with Bishop? What kind of crazy notion was that? She liked Bishop, he intrigued her, he was fun to be with and he was a fantastic lover. That's all, end of story. Love was a foolish notion that humans seemed to put too much stock in. Snorting in amusement she returned to packing her things.