"I'm just so glad we're together again," Keyleth said, leading the group out of the dining room and into the warren of hallways. "Dad, I'll get everyone settled in their rooms. We'll meet at dawn to go over the plan in detail, and then we'll be on our way."

"Let's discuss it all over breakfast. You can't face a dragon on an empty stomach," Korrin agreed. He kissed his daughter's forehead before turning to her friends. "I bid you all a good night! Sleep well."

A chorus of good nights and thank yous followed him down the hall, and he waved back at them before turning a corner.

"Follow me!" Keyleth said, beaming. "I tried to pick rooms that would suit each of you best. It's not exactly Chateau Shorthalt, but I hope you'll be comfortable."

"How do you know where anything is? There are a million hallways!" Scanlan said, craning his neck as they passed one darkened passage.

"Are there? I guess I never noticed," she replied, turning another corner and coming to a halt in front of a massive wooden door. "Grog, this one is yours! It was created for an extraplanar ambassador generations ago, and the legend says she was very tall. It hasn't been used much since, but it's all clean and ready for you!"

Grog pushed the door open. "That's the biggest bed I've ever seen!"

Pike sprinted past him and launched herself onto the bed. "Buddies, it's super soft!"

"Me next!" Grog took a flying leap and landed spread-eagled next to his friend, sending them both into a fit of giggles.

"Guys, you gotta see this bathtub! It's big enough for me to swim in!" Scanlan yelled from the bathroom. The whole group flocked into the bathroom to see him lying down in the tub, demonstrating how many of him could fit in it head to toe.

Vex tried to muster some enthusiasm, but after everything that had happened, she just didn't have the energy. All she wanted to do was sleep, uninterrupted and dreamlessly. Vax took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. It'll be all right, I promise, he felt him thinking.

Keyleth next led Pike to the door opposite Grog's and waved her inside. The room was unremarkable, its special feature seemingly just the proximity to Grog until Pike entered the en suite bathroom.

"Whoa, it's the perfect height!" she cried excitedly, reaching out to turn on the taps of the gnome-sized sink. "I don't need a chair to reach it!" She ran her hand over the edge of the tub, set low enough that she could step into it with ease. Outside of her family's homes, it was rare to find anything sized to suit her height. "Keyleth, this is awesome!"

Scanlan's room, around the corner and several doors down, contained a similar bathroom, but with the added benefit of a small balcony overlooking the valley below. "So nature can inspire your songs," Keyleth explained before leading Vex to the end of the same hallway and opening an unusually wide door.

Gazing at her surroundings, Vex felt the extra-large bed mocking her- all that room to roll around and no one to share it with. Why? Keyleth wasn't a mean person, and she certainly hadn't forgotten what had happened to Percy. Vex tried to breathe deeply, the grief clawing its way up through her chest, choking her. The faint hope that had been lit within her was burning her up from the inside out. If Vax was wrong, if there was no bringing Percy back… she couldn't live with losing him a second time.

Keyleth put a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder, turning her toward the double doors on the opposite wall. "Outside is a wide staircase leading down to a garden. I thought it would be nice in case you wanted to have Trinket stay here, too. The bed is big enough for both of you, and you two can go down into the garden easily whenever he wants to go out."

Vex turned her head to hide her tears. She wanted to tell Keyleth how thoughtful that was, how comforting it was to have Trinket be welcomed and accommodated, but the lump in her throat wouldn't let her. All she could manage was an awkward side hug and a whispered, "Thank you."

"Stubby," Vax said tentatively, "I can stay with you, too." There was a sofa along one wall that would suit him fine.

"No," Vex replied, more harshly than she'd meant to. She softened her voice. "No, Trinket is all the company I need right now. But thank you, Brother." She squeezed his hand, then let go. "I'll see you in the morning."

Closing Vex's door quietly behind him, Vax turned to Keyleth.

"So, I guess I'm next?"

"Oh! Uh, y-yes," Keyleth stammered, a blush creeping over her cheeks. "It's just- well, I guess I thought you'd want to… stay in my room, with me? But it's fine, there are plenty of rooms, if you don't want to!" She watched him nervously, waiting for a response.

Vax's heart skipped a beat. There was nothing he'd like more than to wake up curled around Keyleth, but he also wanted to stay on her father's good side. He wavered as he gazed down into her green eyes, filled with longing. She's in love with me, he reminded himself. She said it in front of everyone. It would be weird to sleep separately, wouldn't it?

"I'd like to," he said gently, "But are you sure it's all right? I'm not sure your father would approve…"

"Oh, don't worry! My dad knows about us. He likes you!" Keyleth said brightly.

It wasn't that Vax didn't believe her, but on several occasions in the past, fathers had liked him just fine until they'd found him in bed with their son or daughter. But he would behave himself this time- they needed to be up early anyway, so there would be no fooling around. They'd just go right to sleep. He'd give her one sweet, innocent kiss goodnight, wrap his arm around her, and they'd go to sleep. That was it. He smiled.

"Lead the way."

With a chaste kiss, Keyleth slipped her hand into his and pulled him back down the hallway. She led him up a stairway and through a corridor, or maybe two? Vax was brimming with so much happiness that he'd forgotten to pay attention to the route, unable to see anything except the perfection before his eyes. At last, Keyleth stopped in front of a door and turned to him.

"This is it," she said shyly, opening the door and pulling him inside.

Vax looked around in amazement. Moonlight filtered through the rounded windows, illuminating a bed covered in pillows and blankets in hues of blue and green. Were the walls covered in vines, or were those vines actually the walls? He wasn't sure. Sea glass globes hung from the ceiling, glittering softly in the low light. It was beautiful, natural, gentle and soothing and utterly Keyleth. So engrossed was he that the sound of the door locking completely escaped his notice. He turned toward her.

"Kiki, it's-" Before he could finish the sentence, Keyleth's lips met his as one hand pulled his face down to hers, her other arm around his neck. All thought fled his mind, and his body reacted on instinct, drawing her tightly to him and tilting her head back, deepening the kiss. He shuddered as she slipped her fingers under his armor, prying it away from his skin.

Oh god oh god oh god oh god, Vax thought. He'd forgotten he'd shown her the trick to getting out of the Deathwalker's Ward during the night they'd shared, and she'd clearly learned the lesson well. The top half of his armor had come loose, allowing her hands to roam freely over his chest and back, her fingertips exploring every inch. The urge to slip out of the damn thing completely and pull her onto the bed nearly overwhelmed him. He broke the kiss, gasping for air.

"I missed you so much, Vax," Keyleth whispered against his mouth. Her hands slid down his bare stomach and tugged at his waistband.

"Wait, wait," he panted. He'd told himself he wasn't going to do this tonight, but he couldn't remember why…

Keyleth drew back sharply. "What's wrong?" Her mind suddenly flashed back to the earth ritual when she saw the twins fighting Ripley. Vax had been shot in the abdomen, hadn't he? "Are you in pain?" She caressed his side, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss his jaw. "I can do a healing spell-"

"No, it's just-" He took both her hands in his, breathing heavily. His will to resist diminished with each second of skin contact; if he didn't create some distance soon, he'd find himself on top of her in an instant. "We have to be up early, don't we? We need to be sharp if we're going to take down Raishan."

Keyleth looked up into his eyes. "Do you think you could just go to sleep like this?" The thought of getting in bed and trying to fall asleep in this condition, feeling her back pressed against him, breathing in her scent… Vax knew he'd lie awake, fighting his desire, and end up exhausted in the morning.

Keyleth continued. "I know it would help me sleep better…" She kissed his neck again, tongue flicking lightly against his skin, and Vax was lost.

In a single swift, fluid motion, he removed her top and eased her back onto the bed. A moment later, both freed of all clothing, he slid on top of her, parting her legs as he went.

Honestly, Keyleth expected to be better at this the second time around, but she found herself once again overwhelmed by the feel of him. She'd had every intention of taking the lead this time, demonstrating her newfound confidence, but here she was, trembling with anticipation, entirely at his mercy. His heated skin against hers, his rough hands expertly adjusting her hips, his tongue lapping at her neck… Her back arched and her chest heaved, fingertips digging into Vax's shoulders. She felt him between her legs, his firm heat pressed against her, poised, ready for her signal. A whimper of excitement escaped her lips as her heart thudded against her ribcage.

"Kiki, you all right?" he asked, his voice husky with desire as he touched his forehead to hers. She knew he was asking for her permission. The way he gazed into her eyes… she needed him now.

"Yes. Vax, please," she panted.

That was all the encouragement he needed.