Chapter 3-1 - Tari Ce Brineah
Aetilius awoke with a start, clutching at fleeting images of the dream which haunted him. Moonlight streamed in through gossamer veil curtains covering the wide window which looked out across the sparkling, frost rimmed stonework of Neverwinter. Slowly the city came to life in the crisp morning air. The party had spent the last few nights, since the end of the Siege, in comfortable individual accommodations on the third floor of Neverwinter Keep. Lying back on the thick feather mattress, he tried fruitlessly to clear his mind and slip back into slumber. Frustrated he swung his legs out of bed and wrapped himself in a thick heavy cloak. If he couldn't sleep, he'd at least head back to the Duke's library on the ground floor and continue his search for information on the Wayshrines and the Nethonris. Quietly he slipped out of the door and started down the corridor towards the staircase, unaware of the tiny shadow which scampered along behind him.
Ryoko stretched luxuriously in the bed, enjoying the feel of the soft fabric against her scales. A light tap at the door brought her to alert, and she sat upright and gripped her staff as the door swung gently inward. She relaxed as Margo, the palace maid, popped her head around the doorframe,
"Morning milady, I heard you stir. Did you rest well?"
Without waiting for a response, the maid swept into the room and busied herself picking up the discarded clothes lying around the bed, folding them neatly and placing them on top of the ornate walnut dresser,
"Would you like some breakfast brought up?"
By the time Margo returned with platters of food, Ryoko was up. The lamps were lit and she was dressed in her amaranthine wooden scale armour. Margo set down a large plate of cured meats and cheeses, and five large flagons of ale, giving Ryoko a wink,
"You want me to wake the rest of your companions?" she asked,
"No don't worry, I'll get them" Ryoko replied,
Just before she left, Margo turned in the doorway,
"Are you going down to join the ceremony today? I'm sure it would lift the people's spirits to see you in attendance, you're a bit of a celebrity here you know…"
"Of course we'll be there" Ryoko reassured her, tearing at a hunk of bread, "When does it start?"
"Best hurry milady. The crowds are starting to gather. The service is due to begin within the hour"
As Margo disappeared back downstairs, Ryoko crossed the hall and hammered on Clootie's door. When there was no response, she peered inside. The bed was empty, and Clootie's elaborate patchwork costume was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging, Ryoko turned and saw Ramas in his room. She raised her flagon, "Beer!" she announced with a grin. She grabbed the food and swept into his room to share breakfast.
Downstairs, Aetilius danced through a bustling crowd of palace staff and servants, busily ferrying food and drinks from the kitchen to the courtyard in preparation for the day's festivities. After nearly colliding with yet another porter carrying an impractically large platter of food, he slipped down a side corridor to catch his breath. Suddenly a tiny head popped up over his shoulder, and Aetilius stifled a scream,
"Whatcha' doin'?" Clootie asked, staring at him with innocent curiosity from her position, latched onto his back.
Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, Aetilius glared at her, "Heading down to the library. What are you doing?"
"I heard you get up. I was curious. And I thought you might like company. It's busy down here today though… So… lets go to the library? Where is it?"
Together, with Clootie still clinging to Aetilius's back, they skulked off down the corridors.
Miaug stretched luxuriously. She pressed herself up against Garaele, purring contentedly, as the elven priestess gently scratched the fur between her ears,
"We should get up" Garaele whispered softly, "It's the ceremony today, and your presence would be a balm to the people of the city, not to mention the survivors of Phandalin"
She gently stroked Miaug's chin, before slipping out of bed and pulling on her robes. Reluctantly Miaug followed suit.
Miaug and Garaele ran into Ryoko and Ramas in the hallway, and together they made their way downstairs into the hubbub. Kitchen staff bustled about carrying platters of food and pitchers of drinks out to the Keep courtyard. They saw Aetilius picking his way through the crowd toward them, Clootie still firmly latched to his back. Reunited, the group made their way through the main hall and out into the keep courtyard.
Outside, long tables had been erected along the wall of the keep, stacked high with plates of food, ale barrels and bottles of wines and cordials. A steady stream of citizens filtered in through the gates in the inner wall, congregating around the edge of the lake. The air was abuzz with gentle excitement. As the party took in the scene, a figure strode purposefully across the courtyard towards them,
"Good morning my friends" Count Gabriel Blackwater boomed as he smiled at them, "I'm glad you could join us. Do you feel that? The excitement? The people are looking forwards to a new day. Myself too, if I'm being honest, this long night has been darker than the usual, aye?"
A momentary grimace of pain passed across his face like a fleeting shadow, before his smile returned,
"A new day, a new year. Help everybody move on. But I don't want to start this new year without honouring the men and women who died to get us here. So we're going to have a formal state funeral before the normal Tari Ce Brineah celebrations. Burning an effigy as we float it down the canal to the sea."
He looked earnestly at Miaug,
"I hoped I could ask a favour milady? Would you do us the honour of setting the raft alight at the end of the ceremony?"
Miaug looked taken aback, but she agreed nonetheless. Gabriel turned to Aetilius,
"Aetilius, you're a priest, aren't you? Would you be willing to say a prayer as the raft burns?"
Aetilius felt a sudden sharp burning pain emanate from the excommunication mark on his forehead. He winced,
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can." He apologised. Gabriel looked disappointed, but Garaele smoothly stepped in and offered to perform one of Silvanus rites. The Count brightened, "Thank you, Sister. Well, we better get this started. Miaug and Sister Garaele could you come with me? I'll speak to the rest of you after the ceremony. Thank you again my friends."
As Miaug and Garaele accompanied the Count to the head of the lake, the rest of the group joined the throng of people waiting at the water's edge. Gabriel stepped up onto a large rock and raised his hands. A quiet descended over the crowd,
"We are almost at the end of another long night, ready to welcome the return of the sun. But, today we must remember the brave sacrifice of those who gave their lives that we could all see this dawn. These brave men and women are examples of the best of us. They stood up and held back the darkness. If any one of them had lost courage, we might not stand here together today. But they didn't. They accepted the burden and in so doing they protected us all."
"But let us not dwell on grief. In a moment, the sun will rise bringing with it a new day, a new year and the promise of a future. That is a precious gift, dearly bought, which we must not squander. Let us do great deeds and honour their memories."
Gabriel jumped down from the rock, and together with a small group of guardsmen pushed a large wooden raft out onto the surface of the lake. The raft was adorned with a wicker effigy of a person in repose, and decorated with garlands of snowdrops. Water rained down from the aqueduct passing through the upper level of the Keep, pouring into the far corner of the lake with a quiet roar, and flowed across the lake towards the canal which ran through the city. The flow of the water picked up the raft, which slowly drifted out towards the centre of the lake. Miaug raised her bow, a cloth swaddled arrow nocked and pulled back against her cheek. A little halfling, standing in front of Ryoko, leaned over and whispered into his wife's ear. For such a small man, he was surprisingly loud, and Ryoko couldn't help but overhear,
"That's the Ogreslayer. They say she took down two ogres with one arrow!"
"That's nice dear" his wife patted him on the shoulder, and firmly redirected his attention back to the ceremony.
One of the guardsmen lit the tip of the arrow, and Miaug let out a shaky breath as she loosed the bowstring. The arrow arced against the dark sky like a meteor, and struck the raft, causing the wicker effigy burst into flames. The crowd let out a collective sigh, and gradually began to disperse, breaking into smaller groups to find vantage points on the grass inside the keep; along the edge of the canal in the Garden District; or clustered on the roofs and balconies of the Temple District to wait for the sunrise. As the party wandered off to find a place to sit and wait for the dawn, Ryoko caught a kitchen porter by the shoulder,
"Any chance of some wine?"
The porter smiled, "Of course, milady" and scurried off. As she waited, Ryoko overheard two gnomes chatting excitedly as they wandered along towards the city wall,
"I heard she's part gnome, part storm giant"
"How the hell would that work?"
"I don't know, but how else could she shoot lightning from her fingers like that"
"It wasn't from her fingers - she has a hammer"
"A hammer? Why would she shoot lightning from a hammer? What's lightningy about a hammer? That doesn’t make any sense."
Ryoko grinned to herself as the pair wandered out of earshot, still arguing amongst themselves, and made her way over to her friends.
The porter returned a few minutes later carrying a large bottle of red wine, and five glasses. Ryoko eyed the bottle, then looked over at Ramas, who nodded,
"Might be an idea to grab another bottle" Ryoko inquired sweetly. The porter stiffened slightly, looking a little indignant, but he bowed deeply and headed back to the Keep to find another bottle. The initial bottle was mostly finished by the time he returned with a second bottle, as the party reclined on the grass watching a gentle orange glow begin to creep over the mountains to the east. Shadows elongated as they began to flee from the approaching day. Within minutes, warm sunlight bathed the buildings of the city for the first time in a week. Looking out to the west, the sea seemed to catch fire, glittering like rippling amber as it echoed the spreading daylight. Everybody began to feel like a weight has been lifted. No matter how often they endured it, the days of constant darkness felt oddly suffocating, and this year had been more uncomfortable than normal.
People trickled back in from the city, and gradually a large crowd began to form around the long tables of food and drink in the keep courtyard. The party joined in, helping themselves to food and ale, and chatting away with the city folks. After a while, Ryoko noticed a small throng of children following her around. She recognised a few of them as children from Phandalin. Realising they'd been spotted, one of them, a young boy approaches you shyly, with a young girl and a little boy in tow,
"Hi Magic Dragon Lady. Is it true that you turned into a big dragon, and flew to into..." he started to ask before the little boy interrupted excitedly,
"I heard you fought your way through a million goblins and chopped their leaders head off"
Ryoko held up her hands to calm them,
"Slow down. One at a time."
The children started to ask questions about her exploits, others of the group gradually coming over to join the first. Ryoko answered or explained the truth as much as possible. Then she got each of the children to lay their hands flat, and she used her druidcraft to conjure garlands of wild flowers for each of them.
As Ramas lounged against the wall beside the ale kegs, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Faila Brightwater. As she turned, he spotted a long scar running down just to the right of her eye, and across the bridge of her nose. Kicking himself of the wall, Ramas slipped through the crowd to Faila, and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him coldly,
"Ramas"
"What happened to you lot? We could have used the backup." Ramas asked, half-jokingly,
Her eyes flashed angrily, and suddenly a knife appeared in her hand as she growled at him,
"Are you fucking kidding me? We fought because you asked us to! And where did it get us? I watched all my friends die. The Guild is gone. And you know what the worst part is? It didn't make a goddamn difference! They all died for nothing!"
Ramas was taken aback by the fiery response., "What happened?" he asked quietly. Faila took a deep breath,
"We went to the Guard as you asked. We were assigned to Milos Agosto's quadrant. When I heard that, I was worried. If anyone has a score to settle with the Guild, it'd be the Champions. Then I found out we were getting sent over the wall. I tell you… something wasn't right there… why the hell were we outside the walls? Some fucking genius had stuck caches of Naphtha in the fens, and it was our job to hold back to the attackers until we got the call from the wall to pierce and light the barrels. Then we were to high tail it back to the wall and escape up ladders the Champions on the top would drop. What sort of half-arsed plan is that? Leaving all my people outside during a siege?"
"But, we did it anyway. We knew how important this was. At first, everything seemed to be going well. After their attack on the gate failed and bridge got blown up, a load of purple eyed creeps came our way. It was easy to start with, they were slow and stupid, and couldn't really get much traction in the swamp. My guys were able to drop them before they got anywhere near us. Then the horn sounded, and we set the swamp alight. Now that was pretty satisfying, I gotta say. Dozens of the fuckers were caught and burned up. It was beautiful. And more of them just kept walking in to the flames. I actually thought we were gonna be fine."
"After a while they stopped trying. They all just formed up like a wall just outside the flames. Just stood there and watched. They didn't move, or talk, or anything. They didn't even react when we fired a couple of shots at them. They were out of range, but a couple of lucky shots dropped a few of them. They rest of them didn't even react. It started to creep us out. It looked like they were waiting on something."
"Then the dragon came. It just swooped across the wall, blowing out that green shit. People up there were screaming and dying. I remember thinking, if they rush us now, we're fucked… no backup and no way out. But the freaks just kept standing and staring at us. A few of the guys started to panic, they were about to bolt for the walls, but I warned them not to be stupid. Things were pretty bad up there from the sounds of it. I told them we needed to let them get it under control before we started demanding escape ladders. We could do a better job of holding them off for a while from where we were, if it came to that. Up near the wall, there was no cover."
"The creeps all started to scream. I'll never forget that sound. It was..." she shuddered, rubbing her forearms as though to ward off a chill,
"I don't know. Something about it got to me. Then they all started to change... fucking bones and spikes and shit started sticking out. Oh god... They started to run at us, through the fires. Others started clawing their way up through the mud, all burned up and shit – it was like something from a campfire story. I'm not ashamed to admit, we broke. We all ran for the wall, as fast as we could. They were faster. All around me, people were caught and torn apart. I just kept running, but I saw enough out of the corner of my eyes. A few of us made it to the walls, but I don't even know if there was anybody still alive up there. Or if they ever had an intention of getting us out in the first place. We were trapped. I still remember it, my back against the stone, desperately fighting the things off, hearing the screams of my friends all around me."
"And then it was over. They just stopped like wind-up toys when they run out. Just fell to the ground and stopped moving. It still feels unreal. There wasn't even the feel of a kill or anything to say it was over. It just… stopped. Deep down, I'm not even sure it really is over. I keep waking up in the middle of the night, I'm sure that one of those things is going to leap at me out of the shadows… "
Faila slumped and she trailed off. Ramas reached down and grabbed her by the shoulders, looking earnestly into her face,
"It wasn’t for nothing. That sacrifice was important. If you hadn't held them back in the swamp, we'd have been overrun at the gate and the city would have fallen. The Guild will be rebuilt. You'll put it back together, and when it's finished it'll be better than before, with you in charge. People have tried to wipe us out before, and they've never succeeded. As long as there's stuff, there's always something to steal."
Ramas smiled gently at Faila. A slight smile started to tug at her lips in return,
"Thanks Ramas. I needed that."
Aetilius stood alone, with a plate of cured meats and dried fruits, near to the main entrance to the Keep. He still couldn't bring himself to relax fully. Something felt off. His gaze swept across the crowd, looking for anything out of place. Then, over the general hubbub of conversation, he could suddenly and clearly identify a single whispering voice,
"Be wary Acolyte. We know you now. The Triumvirate is watching. We will not allow you to interrupt our plans again. Tell your lizard friend, she's first"
A chill ran up Aetilius's spine, and he probed the crowd looking for the source. Suddenly the rest of the party emerged from the throng, heading towards him and grinning, clearly enjoying the festivities. Ryoko clapped him on the shoulder and offered him a mug of ale. Aetilius managed to interrupt the merrymaking for long enough to draw the group away from the crowd, closer to the wall of the keep. As he explained about the whispered warning, the rest of the party stiffened, their hands reaching reflexively for weapons.
Unable to locate the mysterious whisperer, the group agreed to remain on their guard.
A large hand clapped Ryoko on the shoulder. She turned to see Gabriel, who grinned at the group,
"Come walk with me a moment" he beckoned them over to the side of the keep,
"When we spoke after the battle, you asked me if I could grant you property on the city. Well, I have managed to locate you a nice place in the Temple District. It's nothing too ostentatious, but big enough for you all. But, before you accept, I have an alternative proposal I'd like to discuss..."
"As I'm sure you understand, Neverwinter has just developed a housing crisis. We don't really have the space available to house all of our own citizens, let alone the refugees from Phandalin. I need a solution, short of just leaving the poor souls outside the gates, but I cannot force the city's innkeepers to offer them free lodging forever."
"The truth is, life in Neverwinter are about to become difficult for a time. For all that we won the battle, a great many died. Fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters. Many of the families in the city are now without a main caregiver or breadwinner. That's difficult emotionally. But more dangerous, it will have a profound impact on our economy. And having a group of "outsiders" that people can blame for their problems will inevitably lead to violence."
"I intend to resettle the refugees as soon as possible. Phandalin obviously holds too many negative memories for most of the survivors. And it's too far away to be practical for what I'm planning. However, you all just recently cleared Thundertree. It's perfect. The infrastructure is already there, it won't take much to repair the roads, and it's nearby. It'll provide a new home for the survivors, and almost as importantly, it'll create a large project for the citizens of the city to undertake. Work is a wonderful distraction from the ills of recession, and this would provide a great opportunity for employment. The wealthy merchants could be persuaded to invest in the project, which would help funnel some of that private gold back into the community, lessening the effects."
"But right now, people are scared. The citizens feel exposed. I can't blame them, and they don't even know how close we came to destruction. But they know you now. I'm sure you've no doubt noticed, but you are all the stuff of legend around here. Aetilius, people honestly think you are 12ft tall and single-handedly brought down a dragon. They have faith in you. I'd like to offer you all a title, as Barons (and Baronesses) of Thundertree. If the legendary heroes of Neverwinter took the role of stewards of our new settlement, I'm sure that people would feel safe enough to buy in."
"I know you have important work to do, and I don't expect you to settle down there permanently. It'd mostly be for appearances, and it could be a good base of operations for you. Think about it." The party looked at one another for a moment, then Ramas spoke up,
"That is a very generous offer. Of course, we would be delighted and honoured to accept. And in that case, just use the housing in the Temple District as emergency housing for some of the Phandalin refugees."
Gabriel grinned at the party,
"I hoped you would say that. Excellent. It's much appreciated. On the subject of your quest however, I have a vessel for you. The Seabird is one of our most successful pirate hunter ships. The Captain, Killiwake, is unusual... But he may possibly be the best sea captain I've ever seen. I've arranged with him to take you wherever you need to go. He and his crew will be paid handsomely. They are readying the ship now. When you're ready to leave, go see him down at the Docks. Now if you don't mind, I must go and see to a few things. Thank you my friends"
As the Count turned to leave, Aetilius stopped him,
"Before you leave, your honour, do you know anything about the Triumvirate"
"The Triumvirate? As in the Blackwater Saga stories? I think they're a pretty weak villain to be honest" he laughed,
"Humour me please sir" Aetilius insisted, ironically humourlessly
Gabriel looked surprised by Aetilius's serious tone, "Ok. From what I remember, the Triumvirate were characters in a series of story books I read when I was a teenager. They were three mages who led the fictionalised version of the Nethonris, the main villains of the tale. They went by secret codenames to hide their identities. Pretty stupid I know. The Ram, the Hawk and, what was the third one again? Oh yes, the Jaguar. The books were pretty terrible to be honest. I think I've still got the series in the library if you have a look. I think the first book was called A Darkness Rises. Feel free to help yourselves."
"Thank you, your honour" Aetilius turned to the rest of the party, "Anybody want to come with me to the library?"
While Aetilius and Ryoko made their way to the library, the rest of the group returned to the festivities. Clootie got out her One-Man Band suit, and her Golden Kazoo, and started to play a few old jigs. Within minutes the party was jumping. In the meantime, Aetilius and Ryoko managed to locate the first two books of the Blackwater Saga in Gabriel's library. They settled down into comfortable armchairs and began to flick through them. An hour or so of study led them to a few conclusions: the books were poorly plotted, clearly aimed at teenage boys, and there was little useful knowledge to be gleaned from either. The only thing Aetilius found of note was a reference to a hidden island called Sha'Rekoth, which seemed to serve as the lair of the Triumvirate. Ryoko gave up in disgust,
"Well, these are shite. I'm gonna get a drink" she stalked off back to the party. Aetilius grabbed both books and stuffed them into a pocket of his satchel and followed her back out.
After a couple of hours of dancing and revelry, the party began to wind down. Gradually little clusters of people began to filter back into the city to head home, until only a few remained, kept invested by the seemingly endless supply of free ale. The group decided to make their way to the docks and introduce themselves to Captain Killiwake.
The docks at Neverwinter were quiet, like the rest of the city today. Most people would be at home with their family or friends; the crew of the berthed ships were most likely drinking in the Black Dog. Two big square rigged trading vessels sat docked at jetties next to the Customs House. Clootie guessed that these were the remaining vessels which were set up to evacuate refugees during the siege. Berthed at the end of the furthest jetty lay a sleek three-masted schooner, it's hull painted black and trimmed with gold and purple. Unlike the rest of the dock, this vessel was a hub of activity. Crew scurried up the rigging and around the deck, preparing the ship to sail.
As the party reached the end of the jetty, a black feathered head popped up over the railing of the ship,
"Ahoy mateys"
One of the sail lines went tight, and a figure leaped from the deck onto the rail. The creature looked like a bipedal crow, dressed in a garish multicoloured woven feathered cloak and a jaunty tricorner hat, decorated with a bright orange feather. Under the cloak it wore a simple leather tunic; at it's side hung a narrow blade in a leather scabbard; and criss-crossing it’s chest ran two leather straps. Four polished wooden handles protruded from leather pockets along these straps.
The creature fixed the party with unblinking black eyes and cocked it’s head,
"So - you'll be our cargo, aye?" it spoke with an exaggerated nautical lilt,
"I be Captain Killiwake. Count Blackwater chartered us to take you to Leilon. That be correct?"
The party nodded in agreement,
"Aye then - come aboard lords and ladies. Lads! Lower the gangplank!"
Ramas interrupted the eager creature,
"Actually, we've got a few things to arrange here in the city. Could we leave noon tomorrow?"
Killiwake stopped and looked at Ramas, head cocked curiously to the side,
"Aye. I guess we could if that be agreeable. Don't be too late though, I want to beat that storm" he cocked his head out towards the sea, before shouting out to the crew, "Slow down lads, no need to rush."
The party made their way back towards the Keep. On the way, Miaug split off to swing by Springs, Rings 'n' Things. As she knocked on the door, she heard a clattering sound inside,
"Who the hell is that?" a low voice grumbled, accompanied by faint laughter, then the first voice shouted, "I'm coming!"
A moment later the door swung open and a little pink haired gnome glared out at Miaug. As soon as she recognised her, Olexia's expression brightened,
"Oh. It's you! Come on in, we were just having some hot chocolate. Would you like some?"
Olexia waved Miaug through the cluttered shop into an equally cluttered living room in the back of the store. A fire roared in the hearth in the far wall, and curled up under a blanket on
the couch sat Arwyl. The elf smiled at Miaug, and raised her mug, "Carran Brineah"
Miaug acknowledged the traditional greeting, as Olexia handed her a mug of chocolate. Taking a swig, Miaug was surprised to note a heavy trace of alcohol in the mixture. As she thanked Olexia, the gnome looked at her suspiciously,
"This isn't a social call, is it?"
"No. I'm sorry Olexia but I need more explosive arrows. We're heading out on a quest."
"When do you need them? I've probably got enough around here to whip up another couple in a few days."
"We're leaving tomorrow. Around lunchtime."
Olexia sighed, "Sorry Arwyl, looks like I'm gonna need to work tonight"
"Don't worry sweetheart" the elf replied, "I'll stay here and keep you company"
Miaug apologised for spoiling their evening, and left a stack of gold coins on the table as a token of thanks.
Everybody headed back to the Keep and made their way to bed, looking to get an early start in the morning. As Aetilius was about to turn in, her noticed a tiny shadow flit down the stairs. Suspicious, he decided to follow it. Keeping a safe distance, he watched as Clootie started to scamper about the rooms on the second floor, muttering to herself. As he watched her, Aetilius felt a weight against his leg. He looked down to see Badger, pressed up against his shin, watching Clootie concernedly. The little gnome hopped up into an alcove on the wall, leaving a pair of little legs sticking out. The sound of sobbing echoed down the hall. A figure materialised next to Aetilius,
"Is everything ok, milord?" Margo asked
"How are you everywhere?" Aetilius joked
"My father was a wizard" she replied, straight-faced, "Can I get you anything?"
"Some wine actually, I think Clootie might need some"
"Very good. I'll be back in a moment"
As Margo disappeared towards the cellar, Clootie climbed out of the alcove and slunk into a small study off the main hallway. Aetilius and Badger both crept forward to follow her. Inside they watched as the little gnome poked a large map sitting on a central table, before picking a book of a shelf and gnawing on the corner. She then hopped up onto a writing desk, closing the cover on top of herself. Aetilius decided to just make his way into the room and wait for Clootie to acknowledge him. He sat down a high back leather chair, just as Margo appeared in the doorway,
"Sorcery!" Aetilius exclaimed in mock alarm,
"Good sorcery!" Margo grinned and handed him a bottle of wine and two glasses,
"If you need anything else, you need only say my name and I'll appear"
Aetilius filled both glasses, placing one in front of the writing desk. A moment later, a tiny golden kazoo emerged from a crack in the side of the desk, as Clootie tried in vain to reach the glass to use it as a straw. After a few moments of fumbling, Aetilius heard grumbling and low swearing. Clootie reached her hand under the cover and tried to lift it, but it appeared jammed. Starting to panic, the gnome began to flail wildly inside the desk. Aetilius reached over and flipped the cover off the desk. Clootie gasped, then grabbed the wine and downed it,
"Are you alright?" Aetilius asked, staring intently at the little gnome
"Not really" Clootie admitted, "I keep thinking about Sildar, and how I couldn't save him. If I'd been faster, maybe I could have brought him back. If I hadn't gone with Ryoko, maybe he'd be alive today. I feel like it's all my fault. I got the kazoo back. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Why am I here? It's not like you guys need me…"
As she started to sob again, Aetilius put down his glass and gathered the little gnome up. He carried her up the stairs to her bedroom, and settled her down into her bed,
"I don't want to be alone tonight" Clootie pleaded,
"That's ok. I'll sleep at the foot of the bed, and Badger will curl up with you"
As they lay down and tried to sleep, Clootie began to flail about in the bed, grumbling loudly. After a few minutes, Badger stood up and stared at her indignantly. Before the little fox left the room, Aetilius climbed onto the bed and curled Clootie up in one wing, and Badger in the other. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling as the other two drifted off to sleep.
Next: Chapter 3-2 - Seabird to Leilon
Previous: Chapter 2-13: The Siege of Neverwinter
Ryoko stretched luxuriously in the bed, enjoying the feel of the soft fabric against her scales. A light tap at the door brought her to alert, and she sat upright and gripped her staff as the door swung gently inward. She relaxed as Margo, the palace maid, popped her head around the doorframe,
"Morning milady, I heard you stir. Did you rest well?"
Without waiting for a response, the maid swept into the room and busied herself picking up the discarded clothes lying around the bed, folding them neatly and placing them on top of the ornate walnut dresser,
"Would you like some breakfast brought up?"
By the time Margo returned with platters of food, Ryoko was up. The lamps were lit and she was dressed in her amaranthine wooden scale armour. Margo set down a large plate of cured meats and cheeses, and five large flagons of ale, giving Ryoko a wink,
"You want me to wake the rest of your companions?" she asked,
"No don't worry, I'll get them" Ryoko replied,
Just before she left, Margo turned in the doorway,
"Are you going down to join the ceremony today? I'm sure it would lift the people's spirits to see you in attendance, you're a bit of a celebrity here you know…"
"Of course we'll be there" Ryoko reassured her, tearing at a hunk of bread, "When does it start?"
"Best hurry milady. The crowds are starting to gather. The service is due to begin within the hour"
As Margo disappeared back downstairs, Ryoko crossed the hall and hammered on Clootie's door. When there was no response, she peered inside. The bed was empty, and Clootie's elaborate patchwork costume was nowhere to be seen. Shrugging, Ryoko turned and saw Ramas in his room. She raised her flagon, "Beer!" she announced with a grin. She grabbed the food and swept into his room to share breakfast.
Downstairs, Aetilius danced through a bustling crowd of palace staff and servants, busily ferrying food and drinks from the kitchen to the courtyard in preparation for the day's festivities. After nearly colliding with yet another porter carrying an impractically large platter of food, he slipped down a side corridor to catch his breath. Suddenly a tiny head popped up over his shoulder, and Aetilius stifled a scream,
"Whatcha' doin'?" Clootie asked, staring at him with innocent curiosity from her position, latched onto his back.
Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, Aetilius glared at her, "Heading down to the library. What are you doing?"
"I heard you get up. I was curious. And I thought you might like company. It's busy down here today though… So… lets go to the library? Where is it?"
Together, with Clootie still clinging to Aetilius's back, they skulked off down the corridors.
Miaug stretched luxuriously. She pressed herself up against Garaele, purring contentedly, as the elven priestess gently scratched the fur between her ears,
"We should get up" Garaele whispered softly, "It's the ceremony today, and your presence would be a balm to the people of the city, not to mention the survivors of Phandalin"
She gently stroked Miaug's chin, before slipping out of bed and pulling on her robes. Reluctantly Miaug followed suit.
Miaug and Garaele ran into Ryoko and Ramas in the hallway, and together they made their way downstairs into the hubbub. Kitchen staff bustled about carrying platters of food and pitchers of drinks out to the Keep courtyard. They saw Aetilius picking his way through the crowd toward them, Clootie still firmly latched to his back. Reunited, the group made their way through the main hall and out into the keep courtyard.
Outside, long tables had been erected along the wall of the keep, stacked high with plates of food, ale barrels and bottles of wines and cordials. A steady stream of citizens filtered in through the gates in the inner wall, congregating around the edge of the lake. The air was abuzz with gentle excitement. As the party took in the scene, a figure strode purposefully across the courtyard towards them,
"Good morning my friends" Count Gabriel Blackwater boomed as he smiled at them, "I'm glad you could join us. Do you feel that? The excitement? The people are looking forwards to a new day. Myself too, if I'm being honest, this long night has been darker than the usual, aye?"
A momentary grimace of pain passed across his face like a fleeting shadow, before his smile returned,
"A new day, a new year. Help everybody move on. But I don't want to start this new year without honouring the men and women who died to get us here. So we're going to have a formal state funeral before the normal Tari Ce Brineah celebrations. Burning an effigy as we float it down the canal to the sea."
He looked earnestly at Miaug,
"I hoped I could ask a favour milady? Would you do us the honour of setting the raft alight at the end of the ceremony?"
Miaug looked taken aback, but she agreed nonetheless. Gabriel turned to Aetilius,
"Aetilius, you're a priest, aren't you? Would you be willing to say a prayer as the raft burns?"
Aetilius felt a sudden sharp burning pain emanate from the excommunication mark on his forehead. He winced,
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can." He apologised. Gabriel looked disappointed, but Garaele smoothly stepped in and offered to perform one of Silvanus rites. The Count brightened, "Thank you, Sister. Well, we better get this started. Miaug and Sister Garaele could you come with me? I'll speak to the rest of you after the ceremony. Thank you again my friends."
As Miaug and Garaele accompanied the Count to the head of the lake, the rest of the group joined the throng of people waiting at the water's edge. Gabriel stepped up onto a large rock and raised his hands. A quiet descended over the crowd,
"We are almost at the end of another long night, ready to welcome the return of the sun. But, today we must remember the brave sacrifice of those who gave their lives that we could all see this dawn. These brave men and women are examples of the best of us. They stood up and held back the darkness. If any one of them had lost courage, we might not stand here together today. But they didn't. They accepted the burden and in so doing they protected us all."
"But let us not dwell on grief. In a moment, the sun will rise bringing with it a new day, a new year and the promise of a future. That is a precious gift, dearly bought, which we must not squander. Let us do great deeds and honour their memories."
Gabriel jumped down from the rock, and together with a small group of guardsmen pushed a large wooden raft out onto the surface of the lake. The raft was adorned with a wicker effigy of a person in repose, and decorated with garlands of snowdrops. Water rained down from the aqueduct passing through the upper level of the Keep, pouring into the far corner of the lake with a quiet roar, and flowed across the lake towards the canal which ran through the city. The flow of the water picked up the raft, which slowly drifted out towards the centre of the lake. Miaug raised her bow, a cloth swaddled arrow nocked and pulled back against her cheek. A little halfling, standing in front of Ryoko, leaned over and whispered into his wife's ear. For such a small man, he was surprisingly loud, and Ryoko couldn't help but overhear,
"That's the Ogreslayer. They say she took down two ogres with one arrow!"
"That's nice dear" his wife patted him on the shoulder, and firmly redirected his attention back to the ceremony.
One of the guardsmen lit the tip of the arrow, and Miaug let out a shaky breath as she loosed the bowstring. The arrow arced against the dark sky like a meteor, and struck the raft, causing the wicker effigy burst into flames. The crowd let out a collective sigh, and gradually began to disperse, breaking into smaller groups to find vantage points on the grass inside the keep; along the edge of the canal in the Garden District; or clustered on the roofs and balconies of the Temple District to wait for the sunrise. As the party wandered off to find a place to sit and wait for the dawn, Ryoko caught a kitchen porter by the shoulder,
"Any chance of some wine?"
The porter smiled, "Of course, milady" and scurried off. As she waited, Ryoko overheard two gnomes chatting excitedly as they wandered along towards the city wall,
"I heard she's part gnome, part storm giant"
"How the hell would that work?"
"I don't know, but how else could she shoot lightning from her fingers like that"
"It wasn't from her fingers - she has a hammer"
"A hammer? Why would she shoot lightning from a hammer? What's lightningy about a hammer? That doesn’t make any sense."
Ryoko grinned to herself as the pair wandered out of earshot, still arguing amongst themselves, and made her way over to her friends.
The porter returned a few minutes later carrying a large bottle of red wine, and five glasses. Ryoko eyed the bottle, then looked over at Ramas, who nodded,
"Might be an idea to grab another bottle" Ryoko inquired sweetly. The porter stiffened slightly, looking a little indignant, but he bowed deeply and headed back to the Keep to find another bottle. The initial bottle was mostly finished by the time he returned with a second bottle, as the party reclined on the grass watching a gentle orange glow begin to creep over the mountains to the east. Shadows elongated as they began to flee from the approaching day. Within minutes, warm sunlight bathed the buildings of the city for the first time in a week. Looking out to the west, the sea seemed to catch fire, glittering like rippling amber as it echoed the spreading daylight. Everybody began to feel like a weight has been lifted. No matter how often they endured it, the days of constant darkness felt oddly suffocating, and this year had been more uncomfortable than normal.
People trickled back in from the city, and gradually a large crowd began to form around the long tables of food and drink in the keep courtyard. The party joined in, helping themselves to food and ale, and chatting away with the city folks. After a while, Ryoko noticed a small throng of children following her around. She recognised a few of them as children from Phandalin. Realising they'd been spotted, one of them, a young boy approaches you shyly, with a young girl and a little boy in tow,
"Hi Magic Dragon Lady. Is it true that you turned into a big dragon, and flew to into..." he started to ask before the little boy interrupted excitedly,
"I heard you fought your way through a million goblins and chopped their leaders head off"
Ryoko held up her hands to calm them,
"Slow down. One at a time."
The children started to ask questions about her exploits, others of the group gradually coming over to join the first. Ryoko answered or explained the truth as much as possible. Then she got each of the children to lay their hands flat, and she used her druidcraft to conjure garlands of wild flowers for each of them.
As Ramas lounged against the wall beside the ale kegs, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Faila Brightwater. As she turned, he spotted a long scar running down just to the right of her eye, and across the bridge of her nose. Kicking himself of the wall, Ramas slipped through the crowd to Faila, and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him coldly,
"Ramas"
"What happened to you lot? We could have used the backup." Ramas asked, half-jokingly,
Her eyes flashed angrily, and suddenly a knife appeared in her hand as she growled at him,
"Are you fucking kidding me? We fought because you asked us to! And where did it get us? I watched all my friends die. The Guild is gone. And you know what the worst part is? It didn't make a goddamn difference! They all died for nothing!"
Ramas was taken aback by the fiery response., "What happened?" he asked quietly. Faila took a deep breath,
"We went to the Guard as you asked. We were assigned to Milos Agosto's quadrant. When I heard that, I was worried. If anyone has a score to settle with the Guild, it'd be the Champions. Then I found out we were getting sent over the wall. I tell you… something wasn't right there… why the hell were we outside the walls? Some fucking genius had stuck caches of Naphtha in the fens, and it was our job to hold back to the attackers until we got the call from the wall to pierce and light the barrels. Then we were to high tail it back to the wall and escape up ladders the Champions on the top would drop. What sort of half-arsed plan is that? Leaving all my people outside during a siege?"
"But, we did it anyway. We knew how important this was. At first, everything seemed to be going well. After their attack on the gate failed and bridge got blown up, a load of purple eyed creeps came our way. It was easy to start with, they were slow and stupid, and couldn't really get much traction in the swamp. My guys were able to drop them before they got anywhere near us. Then the horn sounded, and we set the swamp alight. Now that was pretty satisfying, I gotta say. Dozens of the fuckers were caught and burned up. It was beautiful. And more of them just kept walking in to the flames. I actually thought we were gonna be fine."
"After a while they stopped trying. They all just formed up like a wall just outside the flames. Just stood there and watched. They didn't move, or talk, or anything. They didn't even react when we fired a couple of shots at them. They were out of range, but a couple of lucky shots dropped a few of them. They rest of them didn't even react. It started to creep us out. It looked like they were waiting on something."
"Then the dragon came. It just swooped across the wall, blowing out that green shit. People up there were screaming and dying. I remember thinking, if they rush us now, we're fucked… no backup and no way out. But the freaks just kept standing and staring at us. A few of the guys started to panic, they were about to bolt for the walls, but I warned them not to be stupid. Things were pretty bad up there from the sounds of it. I told them we needed to let them get it under control before we started demanding escape ladders. We could do a better job of holding them off for a while from where we were, if it came to that. Up near the wall, there was no cover."
"The creeps all started to scream. I'll never forget that sound. It was..." she shuddered, rubbing her forearms as though to ward off a chill,
"I don't know. Something about it got to me. Then they all started to change... fucking bones and spikes and shit started sticking out. Oh god... They started to run at us, through the fires. Others started clawing their way up through the mud, all burned up and shit – it was like something from a campfire story. I'm not ashamed to admit, we broke. We all ran for the wall, as fast as we could. They were faster. All around me, people were caught and torn apart. I just kept running, but I saw enough out of the corner of my eyes. A few of us made it to the walls, but I don't even know if there was anybody still alive up there. Or if they ever had an intention of getting us out in the first place. We were trapped. I still remember it, my back against the stone, desperately fighting the things off, hearing the screams of my friends all around me."
"And then it was over. They just stopped like wind-up toys when they run out. Just fell to the ground and stopped moving. It still feels unreal. There wasn't even the feel of a kill or anything to say it was over. It just… stopped. Deep down, I'm not even sure it really is over. I keep waking up in the middle of the night, I'm sure that one of those things is going to leap at me out of the shadows… "
Faila slumped and she trailed off. Ramas reached down and grabbed her by the shoulders, looking earnestly into her face,
"It wasn’t for nothing. That sacrifice was important. If you hadn't held them back in the swamp, we'd have been overrun at the gate and the city would have fallen. The Guild will be rebuilt. You'll put it back together, and when it's finished it'll be better than before, with you in charge. People have tried to wipe us out before, and they've never succeeded. As long as there's stuff, there's always something to steal."
Ramas smiled gently at Faila. A slight smile started to tug at her lips in return,
"Thanks Ramas. I needed that."
Aetilius stood alone, with a plate of cured meats and dried fruits, near to the main entrance to the Keep. He still couldn't bring himself to relax fully. Something felt off. His gaze swept across the crowd, looking for anything out of place. Then, over the general hubbub of conversation, he could suddenly and clearly identify a single whispering voice,
"Be wary Acolyte. We know you now. The Triumvirate is watching. We will not allow you to interrupt our plans again. Tell your lizard friend, she's first"
A chill ran up Aetilius's spine, and he probed the crowd looking for the source. Suddenly the rest of the party emerged from the throng, heading towards him and grinning, clearly enjoying the festivities. Ryoko clapped him on the shoulder and offered him a mug of ale. Aetilius managed to interrupt the merrymaking for long enough to draw the group away from the crowd, closer to the wall of the keep. As he explained about the whispered warning, the rest of the party stiffened, their hands reaching reflexively for weapons.
Unable to locate the mysterious whisperer, the group agreed to remain on their guard.
A large hand clapped Ryoko on the shoulder. She turned to see Gabriel, who grinned at the group,
"Come walk with me a moment" he beckoned them over to the side of the keep,
"When we spoke after the battle, you asked me if I could grant you property on the city. Well, I have managed to locate you a nice place in the Temple District. It's nothing too ostentatious, but big enough for you all. But, before you accept, I have an alternative proposal I'd like to discuss..."
"As I'm sure you understand, Neverwinter has just developed a housing crisis. We don't really have the space available to house all of our own citizens, let alone the refugees from Phandalin. I need a solution, short of just leaving the poor souls outside the gates, but I cannot force the city's innkeepers to offer them free lodging forever."
"The truth is, life in Neverwinter are about to become difficult for a time. For all that we won the battle, a great many died. Fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters. Many of the families in the city are now without a main caregiver or breadwinner. That's difficult emotionally. But more dangerous, it will have a profound impact on our economy. And having a group of "outsiders" that people can blame for their problems will inevitably lead to violence."
"I intend to resettle the refugees as soon as possible. Phandalin obviously holds too many negative memories for most of the survivors. And it's too far away to be practical for what I'm planning. However, you all just recently cleared Thundertree. It's perfect. The infrastructure is already there, it won't take much to repair the roads, and it's nearby. It'll provide a new home for the survivors, and almost as importantly, it'll create a large project for the citizens of the city to undertake. Work is a wonderful distraction from the ills of recession, and this would provide a great opportunity for employment. The wealthy merchants could be persuaded to invest in the project, which would help funnel some of that private gold back into the community, lessening the effects."
"But right now, people are scared. The citizens feel exposed. I can't blame them, and they don't even know how close we came to destruction. But they know you now. I'm sure you've no doubt noticed, but you are all the stuff of legend around here. Aetilius, people honestly think you are 12ft tall and single-handedly brought down a dragon. They have faith in you. I'd like to offer you all a title, as Barons (and Baronesses) of Thundertree. If the legendary heroes of Neverwinter took the role of stewards of our new settlement, I'm sure that people would feel safe enough to buy in."
"I know you have important work to do, and I don't expect you to settle down there permanently. It'd mostly be for appearances, and it could be a good base of operations for you. Think about it." The party looked at one another for a moment, then Ramas spoke up,
"That is a very generous offer. Of course, we would be delighted and honoured to accept. And in that case, just use the housing in the Temple District as emergency housing for some of the Phandalin refugees."
Gabriel grinned at the party,
"I hoped you would say that. Excellent. It's much appreciated. On the subject of your quest however, I have a vessel for you. The Seabird is one of our most successful pirate hunter ships. The Captain, Killiwake, is unusual... But he may possibly be the best sea captain I've ever seen. I've arranged with him to take you wherever you need to go. He and his crew will be paid handsomely. They are readying the ship now. When you're ready to leave, go see him down at the Docks. Now if you don't mind, I must go and see to a few things. Thank you my friends"
As the Count turned to leave, Aetilius stopped him,
"Before you leave, your honour, do you know anything about the Triumvirate"
"The Triumvirate? As in the Blackwater Saga stories? I think they're a pretty weak villain to be honest" he laughed,
"Humour me please sir" Aetilius insisted, ironically humourlessly
Gabriel looked surprised by Aetilius's serious tone, "Ok. From what I remember, the Triumvirate were characters in a series of story books I read when I was a teenager. They were three mages who led the fictionalised version of the Nethonris, the main villains of the tale. They went by secret codenames to hide their identities. Pretty stupid I know. The Ram, the Hawk and, what was the third one again? Oh yes, the Jaguar. The books were pretty terrible to be honest. I think I've still got the series in the library if you have a look. I think the first book was called A Darkness Rises. Feel free to help yourselves."
"Thank you, your honour" Aetilius turned to the rest of the party, "Anybody want to come with me to the library?"
While Aetilius and Ryoko made their way to the library, the rest of the group returned to the festivities. Clootie got out her One-Man Band suit, and her Golden Kazoo, and started to play a few old jigs. Within minutes the party was jumping. In the meantime, Aetilius and Ryoko managed to locate the first two books of the Blackwater Saga in Gabriel's library. They settled down into comfortable armchairs and began to flick through them. An hour or so of study led them to a few conclusions: the books were poorly plotted, clearly aimed at teenage boys, and there was little useful knowledge to be gleaned from either. The only thing Aetilius found of note was a reference to a hidden island called Sha'Rekoth, which seemed to serve as the lair of the Triumvirate. Ryoko gave up in disgust,
"Well, these are shite. I'm gonna get a drink" she stalked off back to the party. Aetilius grabbed both books and stuffed them into a pocket of his satchel and followed her back out.
After a couple of hours of dancing and revelry, the party began to wind down. Gradually little clusters of people began to filter back into the city to head home, until only a few remained, kept invested by the seemingly endless supply of free ale. The group decided to make their way to the docks and introduce themselves to Captain Killiwake.
The docks at Neverwinter were quiet, like the rest of the city today. Most people would be at home with their family or friends; the crew of the berthed ships were most likely drinking in the Black Dog. Two big square rigged trading vessels sat docked at jetties next to the Customs House. Clootie guessed that these were the remaining vessels which were set up to evacuate refugees during the siege. Berthed at the end of the furthest jetty lay a sleek three-masted schooner, it's hull painted black and trimmed with gold and purple. Unlike the rest of the dock, this vessel was a hub of activity. Crew scurried up the rigging and around the deck, preparing the ship to sail.
As the party reached the end of the jetty, a black feathered head popped up over the railing of the ship,
"Ahoy mateys"
One of the sail lines went tight, and a figure leaped from the deck onto the rail. The creature looked like a bipedal crow, dressed in a garish multicoloured woven feathered cloak and a jaunty tricorner hat, decorated with a bright orange feather. Under the cloak it wore a simple leather tunic; at it's side hung a narrow blade in a leather scabbard; and criss-crossing it’s chest ran two leather straps. Four polished wooden handles protruded from leather pockets along these straps.
The creature fixed the party with unblinking black eyes and cocked it’s head,
"So - you'll be our cargo, aye?" it spoke with an exaggerated nautical lilt,
"I be Captain Killiwake. Count Blackwater chartered us to take you to Leilon. That be correct?"
The party nodded in agreement,
"Aye then - come aboard lords and ladies. Lads! Lower the gangplank!"
Ramas interrupted the eager creature,
"Actually, we've got a few things to arrange here in the city. Could we leave noon tomorrow?"
Killiwake stopped and looked at Ramas, head cocked curiously to the side,
"Aye. I guess we could if that be agreeable. Don't be too late though, I want to beat that storm" he cocked his head out towards the sea, before shouting out to the crew, "Slow down lads, no need to rush."
The party made their way back towards the Keep. On the way, Miaug split off to swing by Springs, Rings 'n' Things. As she knocked on the door, she heard a clattering sound inside,
"Who the hell is that?" a low voice grumbled, accompanied by faint laughter, then the first voice shouted, "I'm coming!"
A moment later the door swung open and a little pink haired gnome glared out at Miaug. As soon as she recognised her, Olexia's expression brightened,
"Oh. It's you! Come on in, we were just having some hot chocolate. Would you like some?"
Olexia waved Miaug through the cluttered shop into an equally cluttered living room in the back of the store. A fire roared in the hearth in the far wall, and curled up under a blanket on
the couch sat Arwyl. The elf smiled at Miaug, and raised her mug, "Carran Brineah"
Miaug acknowledged the traditional greeting, as Olexia handed her a mug of chocolate. Taking a swig, Miaug was surprised to note a heavy trace of alcohol in the mixture. As she thanked Olexia, the gnome looked at her suspiciously,
"This isn't a social call, is it?"
"No. I'm sorry Olexia but I need more explosive arrows. We're heading out on a quest."
"When do you need them? I've probably got enough around here to whip up another couple in a few days."
"We're leaving tomorrow. Around lunchtime."
Olexia sighed, "Sorry Arwyl, looks like I'm gonna need to work tonight"
"Don't worry sweetheart" the elf replied, "I'll stay here and keep you company"
Miaug apologised for spoiling their evening, and left a stack of gold coins on the table as a token of thanks.
Everybody headed back to the Keep and made their way to bed, looking to get an early start in the morning. As Aetilius was about to turn in, her noticed a tiny shadow flit down the stairs. Suspicious, he decided to follow it. Keeping a safe distance, he watched as Clootie started to scamper about the rooms on the second floor, muttering to herself. As he watched her, Aetilius felt a weight against his leg. He looked down to see Badger, pressed up against his shin, watching Clootie concernedly. The little gnome hopped up into an alcove on the wall, leaving a pair of little legs sticking out. The sound of sobbing echoed down the hall. A figure materialised next to Aetilius,
"Is everything ok, milord?" Margo asked
"How are you everywhere?" Aetilius joked
"My father was a wizard" she replied, straight-faced, "Can I get you anything?"
"Some wine actually, I think Clootie might need some"
"Very good. I'll be back in a moment"
As Margo disappeared towards the cellar, Clootie climbed out of the alcove and slunk into a small study off the main hallway. Aetilius and Badger both crept forward to follow her. Inside they watched as the little gnome poked a large map sitting on a central table, before picking a book of a shelf and gnawing on the corner. She then hopped up onto a writing desk, closing the cover on top of herself. Aetilius decided to just make his way into the room and wait for Clootie to acknowledge him. He sat down a high back leather chair, just as Margo appeared in the doorway,
"Sorcery!" Aetilius exclaimed in mock alarm,
"Good sorcery!" Margo grinned and handed him a bottle of wine and two glasses,
"If you need anything else, you need only say my name and I'll appear"
Aetilius filled both glasses, placing one in front of the writing desk. A moment later, a tiny golden kazoo emerged from a crack in the side of the desk, as Clootie tried in vain to reach the glass to use it as a straw. After a few moments of fumbling, Aetilius heard grumbling and low swearing. Clootie reached her hand under the cover and tried to lift it, but it appeared jammed. Starting to panic, the gnome began to flail wildly inside the desk. Aetilius reached over and flipped the cover off the desk. Clootie gasped, then grabbed the wine and downed it,
"Are you alright?" Aetilius asked, staring intently at the little gnome
"Not really" Clootie admitted, "I keep thinking about Sildar, and how I couldn't save him. If I'd been faster, maybe I could have brought him back. If I hadn't gone with Ryoko, maybe he'd be alive today. I feel like it's all my fault. I got the kazoo back. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Why am I here? It's not like you guys need me…"
As she started to sob again, Aetilius put down his glass and gathered the little gnome up. He carried her up the stairs to her bedroom, and settled her down into her bed,
"I don't want to be alone tonight" Clootie pleaded,
"That's ok. I'll sleep at the foot of the bed, and Badger will curl up with you"
As they lay down and tried to sleep, Clootie began to flail about in the bed, grumbling loudly. After a few minutes, Badger stood up and stared at her indignantly. Before the little fox left the room, Aetilius climbed onto the bed and curled Clootie up in one wing, and Badger in the other. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling as the other two drifted off to sleep.
Next: Chapter 3-2 - Seabird to Leilon
Previous: Chapter 2-13: The Siege of Neverwinter
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