Author's Note: The dialog written by the writers at Bioware is too choice not to use and I hope I've given it a slightly different connotation than perhaps it had originally. Also this chapter is taking far longer to wrap up than I originally thought it would. I'm speculating that there is at least one more part to this, just based on the parts I already have written.
Forgiveness
Pt 2
Continuing their journey early the following morning the group made their way carefully through the lands surrounding the city. They were a patchwork of cleared fields and dense forest. Far back off the road they might occasionally see the sprawling mansion of a wealthy merchant or noble. The large estates were separated by long winding strands of thick forest. In some places the forest went on for as far as they could see, in private hunting reserves.
As the fortunes of families had risen and fallen, they had built and then subsequently abandoned their luxurious mansions in the country, leaving populated estates side by side with those left to return to the wild. The estates covered miles upon miles of the land surrounding Daerlun.
Hypatia and Cimmera walked side by side in the lead, talking quietly as they maintained a rapid, steady clip. They set an easy pace that would cover the distance with a certain amount of haste yet without exhausting them on the way. After some discussion the night before they reluctantly decided that the quickest pace they dared set would still take several days to see them to the Ghost Hold where their information had it that Farquhar had fled too. Hopefully they were less than a day behind him and he wouldn't have much time to prepare before they reached his stronghold.
The paper Xanthus had found stuffed in a small statuette had indicated that Farquhar was delving deeply into necromancy so they expected undead. Cimmera was able to add information about some of the diabolical traps that had been installed. Her friends in the thieves guild had been only too happy to help her out. Seems that the last thief employed by Farquhar had mysteriously disappeared before collecting payment from him; and that thief was the brother of the head of the thieves guild.
"So you're friends with the head of the thieves guild?" Hypatia asked, somewhat incredulously as she trotted down the sun dappled road beside her sister.
Cimmera laughed, "Yes. She came to the temple looking to tithe but reluctant to actually part with any of her gold. I made a suggestion that she liked. The goddess would accept certain…favors…in exchange for money."
Hypatia's eyebrows rose but she kept silent, looking for threats and waiting for her sister to continue her incredible tale. Valen followed her closely and next to him Gabriel, both men scanning the surroundings for threats and keeping suspicious eyes on one another. Behind them Deekin ran along, somehow writing and running at the same time.
"I suggested that one thing she could do would be to teach me the ways of thieves and assassins." Cimmera continued soberly. "I didn't want to leave the temple. Sometimes being able to sneak around and discover what people are up to is…necessary." She shrugged, "Besides, I want to be able to tell if someone is sneaking up on me."
"Um…Boss," Deekin looked up from where he was writing in his little book.
"Yes Deekin?"
"Hows you like Deekin to describe you in book?"
That surprised her and she slowed her pace, turning to look at the little kobold. "I don't know, Deekin. How are you describing me now?"
"Well I's say yous lovely battle priestess."
Hypatia's eyebrows shot up, "I'm a cleric, Deekin, just a cleric."
"Oh, Boss," Deekin chided her, "Deekin just be little kobold, but Deekin know yous more than 'just' cleric. Clerics stay back and heal. Yous run into battle, staying at your warrior's side; yous cast battle magics and yous fight too. Yous Battle Priestess, but if Deekin describe yous like that, no one can tell it's you."
Cimmera and Hypatia stopped and turning stared at Deekin for long minutes before Hypatia blinked, she needed to think about this.
Cimmera whispered to her, "Is he always like this?"
"This astute? Oh yes," Hypatia rubbed her fingers across her forehead then turned back to the road to continue on their way.
While they were stopped Valen turned full circle, quickly checking to see if they were being followed. Satisfied that they were not, he turned and followed along, falling back into place behind Hypatia. The kobold's words gave him something to think about. She certainly had followed him into the thick of battle on numerous occasions, despite being cruelly wounded herself. He couldn't think of another cleric who had done the same. Most clerics stayed at the edges of the battle unless the enemy somehow got to them. They were more like reserves, called upon only when the warriors were too badly wounded to carry on the fight without reinforcements. Then the clerics would fight as needed and heal when they could. Even the drow Matron Mothers preferred to let their forces do the fighting for them. Perhaps gentle Hypatia was this Battle Priestess.
Except that during the battle of Lith Myathar she had stayed back like the other clerics. She cast battle magics and healed their forces many times but she didn't engage the enemy until …until the battle within the city when the Seer had been directly threatened. Then she'd followed his charge into battle. Come to think of it when he stayed by her side she stayed back, when he charged forward she followed. So which was she?
They stopped for a brief midday meal, selecting a site just off the road on an estate that looked fairly well kept up. Valen and Gabriel secured a perimeter while Hypatia and Cimmera prepared the meal; Deekin being sent to collect firewood. Once the food was ready everyone sat down around the fire to eat.
Gabriel watched as Hypatia served two portions and taking them went to sit next to Valen, giving him one of the plates. "Hypatia," Gabriel snarled, "You cannot trust him. I've kept an eye on him and he watches your every move… like a predator. Like the spawn of fiends that he is. No doubt thinking lewd and salacious thoughts of you and undressing you with his eyes."
Startled Hypatia glanced at him then turned a mysterious smile to Valen, asking, "Do you watch me when we travel?"
Valen glared at Gabriel before answering Hypatia, "I watch over you, my lady." He turned to her and smiled, a hint of mischief playing about his expression, "That does involve a certain amount of watching you."
Hypatia blushed and looked up at him through lowered lashes, her smile growing even more mysterious.
"Hypatia!" Gabriel protested, aghast. He was trying to warn her to be careful and she was throwing that thing coquettish looks.
Cimmera hissed at him, "If you hope to earn her forgiveness you'd best stop trying to cause trouble between her and Valen."
As soon as they were done eating they kicked dirt over the firepit, putting the fire out making sure there were no sparks that might start a fire in the surrounding forest and got moving again.
Once more trotting down the road, Deekin ran up to run between Valen and Gabriel. Finally the little kobold cleared his throat and asked, "Why is it you gots horns? Is you part goat?"
"In a manner of speaking," Valen answered evenly, though the animosity directed his way by Gabriel irked him. Still Hypatia was fond of the kobold, so he answered. "I am part demon…a tiefling if you've heard of such a thing."
"Demons make babies," Deekin sounded incredulous.
"When they wish to," mildly annoyed he turned to look at the kobold as they travelled, "Are you always so blunt with your questions?"
The kobold smiled toothily up at him, "Deekin can be very innocent when he tries. That be part of his charm."
Valen grinned ferally at the opening the kobold had just provided. The animosity directed his way by Gabrial was almost palpable. That the arrogant paladin had hurt Hypatia physically before and continued to do so emotionally with his words and attitude. So, with every appearance of speaking to Deekin he said, "Well, I have a weapon that can crush a man's skull into pulp before he even realizes he's dead. I've made corpses whose jaws still wag as they try to speak. That's part of my charm."
Gabriel started sputtering, gripping the hilt of his sword. He cast a sidelong glare Valen's way.
Not to be outdone Deekin offered, "Deekin once have old master who eat bad mushrooms and passes gas so bad it kill entire cave full of kobolds. Deekin stuck head in water bucket, only reason he alive today."
Valen regarded the kobold for a moment. "I've cut my way through a hundred men, breathing in their own gore, and felt the slash of a hundred blades against my skin yet never died."
"Inhuman…" Gabriel muttered that and other things under his breath, shooting venomous glares towards Valen.
Deekin shrugged, "Old master roll over on top of Deekin once while sleeping. Old master be real heavy."
"Not much fazes you, does it?" Valen was tempted to shake his head.
Deekin grinned, "Nope, not much."
The pace had slowed as Hypatia and Cimmera both turned to look back at them more than once with varying expressions of horror and incredulity. Gabriel looked about to say something but a single warning look from Hypatia quelled him and he subsided, albeit ungraciously.
Hypatia knew that Valen had been a battle slave in the Blood Wars and yet her heart still ached for him when he spoke of such times. How he had survived with his humanity intact was nothing short of a miracle and he one he attributed to The Seer.
They travelled on, keeping a rapid but not exhausting pace until the sun began to set far to the west. They found a spot well back from the road hidden in a copse of trees to set up camp for the night. This time though, after Valen and Gabriel scouted around, Cimmera began to cast wards around the copse that would warn them should anything larger than a housecat try to cross them.
Deekin collected firewood while Hypatia dug a small fire pit, lining it with stones and got food out to start making supper. She started to hum a soft love song then glanced up as Gabriel stepped into the little copse and stopped, her lips turning downward.
"Gabriel," Hypatia's voice was icy.
"Yes, Hypatia," Gabriel answered her carefully.
"Since I'm cooking, why don't you fetch water and clean the dishes after the meal," she made her command a suggestion, barely, her eyes cold and hard.
"Yes, Hypatia," Gabriel fell back on his training. He did want to earn her forgiveness and dishes were easy.
She watched him suspiciously for a minute or two longer before seemingly satisfied. She looked around the clearing within the copse where they had set up camp. It was good sized and closely ringed with old trees that had grown into leafy giants. This had probably been a hunting blind for the owners of the estate for generations.
"Valen?" Hypatia's voice was soft and warm.
"I am yours to command," He looked up from where he was clearing undergrowth and debris away so that they'd have places to sit and sleep.
Gabriel gave the tiefling a startled look that transformed rapidly into a dark scowl.
"Enserric is quite different from my katana and now I carry a shield as well. Would you be willing to teach me to fight effectively with them?" Hypatia held out the deep red sword and lifted the shield slightly to indicate them.
"If it would please my lady, I would be happy to teach her to better wield her weapon," Valen's intense blue eyes held her gaze for a moment.
"I'm going to go get some water," Gabriel stomped out towards a small stream that ran nearby. Cimmera held off on casting the final warding, so that Gabriel wouldn't trip it when he returned; and it was she who heard him mock as he walked away, "If it would please my lady….I'm yours to command, my lady."
Blending into the shadows she decided to follow him. He might still be a threat to Hypatia. Listening to him bitterly talking to himself she came to the conclusion that he was far more angry with Valen than Hypatia. In fact, thinking back over the conversations of the day, it seemed as if Valen were deliberately goading the paladin. She turned and stepped even farther into the shadows suddenly realizing that Valen was deliberately drawing Gabriel's ire away from Hypatia making himself Gabriel's target.
It was so touching that she found herself blinking away tears. Valen really was a good man. Hypatia had suffered so much for so long. And from what he'd told her of his own life, so had Valen. They both deserved some happiness. She clasped her hands together and held them over her heart, they would cherish each other, of that she was certain.
Over dinner after some rather heated debate they at length agreed that Gabriel, Deekin and Cimmera would take the first watch, leaving Valen and Hypatia to take the second. After dinner Hypatia slipped behind a screen comprised of a couple of cloaks she and Cimmera had hung between the trees and removed her armor, slipping into a sober grey priestess robe. She'd polish her armor after she said her evening prayers. While she consecrated a small spot to say her prayers in and prayed, Valen polished his armor and flail. Gabriel irritably paced the perimeter, being careful of Cimmera's wards.
Once he was done with his own armor, Valen got Hypatia's and polished it, checking the straps for wear or damage as he did. Finishing her prayers Hypatia turned and seeing him tending to her armor she smiled warmly, watching him with unmasked adoration for a few minutes. Then she blinked and looked around somewhat guiltily and fetched Enserric to polish him.
When she was done with that chore Valen, who had been keeping a surripitous eye on her, carefully set her armor aside and rose to his feet. "If you are ready, my lady, we can begin your training." He gestured to a space off to one side, "There is room enough over here."
Once again Valen stood behind her, gripping her weapon with her and holding her shield arm, hand clasped in his as he moved her through the dance of battle. He taught her how to compensate for the difference in the weight and balance of the long sword verses her katana as well as how to not simply block with her shield but also use it offensively, to attack.
Cimmera watched the two fight some imaginary foe and thought it was just about the most romantic thing she'd ever been witness to. Practical too, which she knew would appeal to Hypatia. Deekin spent the time writing furiously in his little book. Gabriel paused in his pacing of the perimeter, audibly grinding his teeth at the sight of that tiefling wrapped around Hypatia like a second skin, ostensibly teaching her how to wield that intelligent sword of hers.
Sometime during the small hours of the night a deep overcast had piled up over the region. By morning the air was still and oppressive, the wind having died down. Far off towards the horizon lightening snaked across the sky and the deep rumble of thunder echoed over the land. They broke camp quickly and started once more on their journey.
"I'm curious about one thing, Deekin," Valen broke the silence as they hurried along. "You said your prior master was a dragon, yes? A white dragon?"
Cimmera gave him a glance, unsuccessfully trying to hide a rather wicked smile then dropped back to keep pace next to Gabriel. She didn't really think he'd attack Hypatia again but she wasn't quite so sure he wouldn't go after Valen if pushed too far and it would be a shame to see him get himself killed. Especially before Hypatia forgave him.
Deekin nodded, inspecting his nails absently for a brief moment while he ran along. "Yup. Tymofarrar be big and white."
"Are you aware that the white dragon is the weakest of the many draconic species?" Valen glanced down at the kobold briefly.
"So? That not means much. Old Master be way tougher than little Deekin. He be tougher than you, even."
Amused, Valen chuckled. "I truly doubt that. Was this an old dragon, this Tymofarrar? A great wyrm of his kind?"
"Nope," Deekin answered casually, "Tymofarrar was young and scrappy. And kind of fat for a dragon, maybe."
"Then he would hardly be a match for me, little kobold. I have battled more than one dragon in my lifetime." Valen scanned the sight lines around them quickly, checking for potential threats and taking note of Gabriel's thunderous expression.
Hypatia slowed the pace slightly, listening to the two of them. Were they seriously trying to establish some kind of macho pecking order? Seriously? She shook her head. Men.
The heat was getting oppressive and the humidity wasn't helping. Slowing even more she looked around, worrying her lower lip with her teeth. She was starting to get one of those feelings, like something was about to happen. She didn't know what though, couldn't tell if it were good or bad.
Deeking looked at Valen and grinned. "There be big paladin in white that storms into Old Master's cave, Deeking remembers. He swears that he going to kills Old Master."
Gabriel noticeably starts paying more attention to that the kobold is saying.
"Old Master roll over, moaning that he ready to die. He say he be bad and evil dragon all his life and he just wants to confess sins. Paladin says okay and comes to give confession."
Valen had been watching Deekin with a slightly surprised half smile. Did the little kobold know what he was doing? Was he actually joining in?" At the last bit though he rolled his eyes, "And that's when your dragon master ate him, I suppose?"
"Nope. Old Master gots lots to confess. He tells great stories all night…he and paladin stays up and drinks and laughs. They becomes great friends and paladin falls."
Deekin slides a sly glance towards Gabriel. "Last time Deekin hears about paladin, he be invading some country somewhere."
"I am almost positive you are not telling the truth." Valen scanned the area again, taking note of a cluster of trees sitting in a little hollow just back from the road that would be ideal hiding for someone planning an ambush.
"See? You be just like paladin. You not knows when to relax and laughs and when you should be all angsty and serious."
Valen, about to respond, suddenly thinks better of it and turns away.
Following along Gabriel fumed. Finally he could keep his ire private no longer and to Cimmera in a low voice he complained, rather bitterly, "I know what he's doing."
Her eyebrows shot up, "Oh, really?" She gave him an assessing look, "Tell me, what are they doing?"
"He's trying to provoke me into attacking him so he can kill me." Gabriel shot Valen a resentful glare.
Cimmera shook her head, disgusted and not bothering to hide it. "Don't you think that if he wanted to kill you he'd have done it when he found out you beat Hypatia half to death. No, he's not trying to create the opportunity for you to commit suicide." She gave Gabriel another disgusted look, "Hypatia has been practically ordered to give you a second chance by someone who carries some authority over her. Killing you now could get her in trouble, and Valen would never cause her harm. So guess again and this time try to think about it a little bit first."
Gabriel gave Cimmera a stunned look, ideas that he had not considered suddenly racing through his mind. He continued on in silence and when he did glance around at the others his expression was no longer that of a resentful and spoilt child but more thoughtful and perhaps slightly confused.
Hypatia stopped in the middle of the road just as the wind started to pick up. She looked around frantically, suddenly feeling panicked.
"My love, what is wrong?" Valen growled, suddenly looming protectively over her. His eyes beginning to glow red as he looked for whatever threat had caused her fright.
Suddenly shaking all over, Hypatia lifted trembling hands watching them shake and in that instant knew what they needed to do, "We have to find shelter…Now!"
Though tempted to make some remark about panicky women, the things Cimmera had said to him gave Gabriel pause. He watched, trying to understand rather than reacting in judgmental arrogance.
The temperature dropped a good 10 degrees, the wind continued to pick up and a brief squall of icy rain fell on them. The lightening that had been flashing across the horizon just a short time before suddenly streaked over head in a blinding flash of electricity that zigged and zagged, exploding into the copse of trees just ahead. The sound of thunder following immediately on its heels so loud it nearly deafened the, and they did not hear the screams that came from the assassins who had lain in wait for them.
Hypatia looked around once more and then broke into a sprint towards what looked to be a long forgotten cemetery with a little crypt standing in the middle of it. "We need to get underground," she screamed against the wind.
From the copse of trees several men broke cover and gave chase as the five ran towards the little crypt. They ran over the uneven terrain, twigs and brambles catching at their legs and cloaks. The wind picked up leaves and sticks, striking them with the small windborn missiles. Out beyond the slate roof of the crypt a giant tornado settled to the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of debris, tearing up trees and tossing boulders as it tore up the countryside. The giant twister moved in a horrifyingly graceful combination of raw power and nature's fury directly towards them.
The cemetery was enclosed by a rusting wrought iron fence. The gate was locked. Cimmera knelt to pick the lock as the little group crowded around, the tornado growing into a titanic wedge that blacked out the horizon as it bore down upon them. "No time!" Hypatia pulled Cimmera away from the gate and gestured to Valen.
Valen wasted no time, simply unhooked his flail and swung once, the gate disintegrating under the force of the blow. He grabbed Hypatia's hand and guided her at a run towards the crypt. She stopped him from destroying the door, this time motioning for Cimmera to pick the lock. "We'll need to be able to close it behind us." She shouted over the roaring of the wind.
Behind them the assassins scrambled towards them while a sudden burst of large hailstones began to plummet from the thick dark clouds overhead. They made it to the gate just as Cimmera started working on the ancient lock on the crypt door. The tornado was a scant couple hundred of yards away and bearing down on them rapidly.
The sound of hail stones pinging off of Gabriel's plate mail and Valen's breastplate. They crowded under the brief overhang, trying to stay out of the punishing weather as much as possible. As soon as the lock clicked open under Cimmera's deft manipulations she stood and opened the door, darting through and out of the wind, driving rain and hail.
Though tempted to stop in the short entryway, Hypatia urged them on. They fled down a brief flight of stone steps and into a modest receiving room with three doors on the far wall.
"Pick one and keep moving," Hypatia urged them on. Around them the stonework walls began to shudder and groan.
"What's happening?" Cimmera ran towards the center door.
"The twister is going to go right over us," Hypatia hurried along behind her.
They burst through the door into a wide hallway. Marble columns marched down the hallway in an elegant progression and set into the deep walls were the ossuaries of the many dead who had been interred here. A foetid odor filled the hallway, making their eyes water and causing the bile to rise in their throats.
At that moment the twister tore the roof off the above ground part of the structure, leaving the receiving room open to its raging fury. Valen pushed Hypatia to one side of the door they'd just come through and pressed himself up against her, holding her safe against the suction of the winds that threatened to pull them back out of the crypt and into the maelstrom. Little Deekin ended up with Cimmera on the other side of the door and Gabriel, after a moments hesitation held his tower shield over her, bracing himself against the wind.
The assassins never had a chance. They were swept up into the swirling winds never to be seen again. The slate roof of the crypt and some of the masonry followed. The cyclone scoured the receiving room clean as it passed directly overhead.
In the underground hallway of the crypt the vile air was sucked out through the open doorway. The strong suction also pulled the breath from their lungs, leaving them gasping against the force of the winds. The roar of the winds was deafening and some loose debris within the crypt was being picked up and drawn towards the narrow doorway, pelting them. Hypatia, making a supreme effort, managed to get her shield up to protect the back of Valen's neck and head.