"I am quite pleased that you have succeeded where so many others have failed," Ardulace chuckled as she eagerly took the tome from Laska's hands. "The four of you have done a great service for our city. Not only have you given us part of a means to turn the tide in this war, but you've once again made Vilaya a habitable outpost. Many of the best high-priestesses failed where you succeeded."

"Well, what can I say," Laska said. "We kicked ass?"

Viconia sighed audibly. One day, Laska's impertinence might cost them dearly. Luckily, the matron was too pleased to notice the many breaches in protocol, such as Imoen practically hopping from savoring the victory and Minsc openly glowering at the First Matron, possibly at Boo's instructions.

"I always knew she would succeed," Phaere nodded.

"Yes, well," Ardulace ignored her daughter and turned to Laska. "You, female, shall be rewarded in due time. For now, you may go, but I might have more assignments for you later. Trust me, those will be easier than you ordeals in Vilaya. Oh, before I forget to mention it, I have sent the other members of your fellowship on their mission as soon as my scouts reported you coming out of Vilaya with the book. They should return shortly."

"Why did you sent them away only just now?" Imoen asked, making Viconia cringe. Imoen had spoken out of turn, a serious breach of protocol.

If Ardulace was annoyed with this intrusion, she did not show it. Instead, the First Matron actually answered the question. "Well, let's just say it's safe to have a second team at hand..."

"In case we failed to get the book out of Vilaya?" Imoen asked.

"Yes," Ardulace said. "But you have succeeded, so the point is academic."

Judging from the look on Minsc's face, Viconia was very happy she'd cast a silence spell on Minsc before coming here.

"You are dismissed," Ardulace said. "Rest, enjoy the pleasure chambers. You will be called upon when needed again.

But as Phaere joined Laska and the group started to walk away, Ardulace suddenly spoke up.

"One more thing," Ardulace asked. "Did you ever find the source behind the curse of Vilaya?"

Laska turned around and seemed to think for a moment. "A... A spirit from the past."

That said, the elf joined the group as they left.

Cheerful music wafted up from the first floor of the Spire. Phaere and Laska were having a dinner on one of the tops rings, looking down upon the stage below, where the Arena had been only a few weeks ago. It was amazing how fast the Arena with the multiple seating rings had been turned once again into a normal inn and restaurant.

Right now, two Drow males, clad in black suits and strange black-tinted gnomish glasses were singing cheerful songs, swinging as if their lives depended on it.

"Who are they?" Laska asked. "They're very good."

"Oh, don't disturb them," Phaere replied. "They're on a mission... from Lolth."

"Hmm," Laska said and started digging in her food again. Instead of eating, though, she merely shoveled food around on her plate, often seemingly drawing patterns in the mashed mushroom.

"Shall I have the cook flogged?" Phaere grinned, her eyes shining with dark humor. "Obviously, the cooking is sub-par."

"No, no, no," Laska said, her eyes distant. "I'm just... thinking, that's all."

"You've been very morose since you've returned from Vilaya," Phaere said.

"I've seen... things in that outpost," Laska said, avoiding eye-contact. "Things that can make you think."

"I can't imagine what you've faced there," Phaere said, putting her hand on Laska's and slowly started to gently rub her skin. "But I am... relieved to see you come back safe and sound."

"It feels... different here now," Laska said as she let her gaze float over her surroundings. And, for just and instant, Laska just didn't feel at home here anymore. Of course, she couldn't let Phaere know that. When she first arrived at Ust Natha, she had slowly started to feel like she belonged there. Now she didn't know what to think.

But Phaere no doubt had an evening planned for her, and she didn't disapprove. At the very least it would get her mind off things.

"I... I've been wanting to tell you something for a long time now, Vic," Imoen spoke with an intensity she could barely control. "I mean, we're both adults and... No, no, just hear me out, I'm trying to be deep here. I... I didn't know how to tell you for a long time, even though we're such good friends. You, well, could say that was part of the problem. You see..." she paused.

"Just... what I want to tell you, Vic, is that," Imoen took a few breaths. "I love you, Vic," she sighed, it was out. Finally, after all those months of agonizing and pining away, after gathering up the nerves to finally say it, it was out. "I love you, Vic. IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou!" she bubbled on and on.

"So," Imoen said, fighting to keep from hyperventilating. "Do you have something to say to me too?"

Silence followed, and for a long time Imoen simply stared into the eyes... of her own reflection staring back at her.

"What am I do doing?" Imoen sighed as she sat down in the luxurious bath chambers. "I'm sitting here declaring my undying love to the medicine cabinet!"

Soon enough though, bewilderment made place for resignation. "Vic'll never make the first move. I'm going to have to say it, but I have no idea what she'll say or what she'll do."

Imoen sighed once again. "How would Laska do this? Oh, yeah, I know how she'd deal with it." Imoen whispered to herself, mimicking Laska's common accent. "Hey, nice to meet you. You look hot, wanna screw?"

Of course, she had to admit that was moving too fast even for Laska's standards but still... it was hard for her to have no one to discuss these things with. Laska, her overprotective sister, was definitely out of the question. Dynaheir might have been a good choice, but even since her change into a vampire and back, she had become quite a blabbermouth. Korgan? Gods, no... Keldorn? Nah, he's not exactly an expert on relationships. Minsc? Nah, Boo would get confused. Jan? Oh, the horror...

What she needed was someone with knowledge of the Drow psyche, knowledge of love and relationships and had to be a complete stranger. And then, she had an idea... a very weird idea, but still it was an idea that was better than simply jumping into the deep end.

Viconia stalked the halls of the Spire, headed towards the Pleasure Chambers. After having her spirit almost ripped out by a confused ghost-child, Viconia felt she could use a little distraction. Soon enough, she arrived at her destination and, after a female guard let her enter, was once again confronted with the soft-colors and comfortable interior of the Pleasure Chambers. Most rooms were occupied at the moment, but there were still plenty of visitors and Pleasure Servants lounging around in the main room on the comfortable divans, chairs and benches.

The Ssins D'aerth were the closest the Drow had to a monastic order. The members were utterly devoted to the fabled Drow erotic arts and strived to maintain, improve and spread those erotic arts among the whole of the Drow race. An equal number of males and females made up the Ssins D'aerth in Ust Natha. As was tradition, those of higher rank took the duty of training and guiding those in lower rank. Novices were only trained by fellow Ssins D'aerth before being deemed ready to experiment with the visitors. Payment was not required, in fact, it could even be seen as an insult, since the Ssins D'aerth were well taken care of by the innkeep, as per tradition. Instead, all Ssins D'aerth, specialized in a specific erotic art or not, craved positive reviews by the visitors. Those positive reviews could raise their standing in the eyes of the Pleasure Mistress, Sinvyl in this case, and could lead to elevation in rank, which, in turn, would mean higher prestige and introduction to more advanced techniques.

But at the moment, Viconia didn't really care about that. She wanted a distraction, not a lecture. She sat down on one of the divans and took a sip from one of the beverages there. Behind her, a priestess took a low-ranked girl into one of the rooms, while a few benches left of her, a female warrior was getting acquainted with a male of higher rank. So much acquainted, in fact, that another pleasure servant of high rank quietly suggested that the two of them should take refuge in one of the rooms.

Viconia's let her eyes roam over the available pleasure servants. There were several low-ranking girls free, as well as several males. Finally, she noticed a high-ranking male. Eye contact was quickly made.

A shivering Imoen was let into the colorful Pleasure Chambers and, for a moment, felt all the eyes in the room burning into her skin. She gulped as she passed the others and headed straight to Sinvyl, whom she saw standing on the other side of the long entrance hall.

"S... Sinvyl?"

The scantilly clad pleasure mistress turned around to face the girl. "Ah, you're Laska's sister. Imoen, is it not?" she asked.

'Phew, she remembers me'. "Could I, um, talk to you for a bit?"

"Talk, hmm?" Sinvyl winked. "Certainly, I have time."

Imoen followed Sinvyl to one of the rooms, feeling intense relief after Sinvyl closed it behind them. The room was quite nice, large and well-furnished. There was a window looking upon the city, a good airflow, a luxurious big bed, a jacuzzi and more than enough room to manoeuvrer.

Sinvyl sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her, inviting Imoen to sit down beside her. "Alright," Sinvyl smiled after Imoen sat down. "Let's talk, then. What do you want to talk about."

"Well, um, you see, um," Imoen stammered. "There's this, um, girl, you know, and... Um, Sinvyl, why are you massaging my shoulders?"

"Just loosening you up," Sinvyl smiled and continued her ministrations.

"Um, okay, well, there is this girl and... Um, why'd you put your hand on my thigh?"

"I told you, I'm just loosening you up," Sinvyl smirked.

"I, um, wanted to ask you about..." Imoen froze when she felt Sinvyl's warm breath colliding against her tender ear. Imoen let out an embarrassed cry and jumped up, placing her back against the wall and giving Sinvyl a look of pure fright.

Sinvyl seemed genuinely surprised at this turn of events. "You really are here to talk."

"Um, what did you think I wanted, then?"

"You're so cute," Sinvyl giggled. "You know the half of what goes on in these rooms. Sit down, I won't touch you if you don't want me to."

Slowly, very slowly, Imoen made her way back to the bed and sat down next to the pleasure mistress. Sinvyl kept her word and made no move. "Now, what did you want to ask me about?"

"There's this girl, you see," Imoen said. "And I really like her and... well, you see, we're both so different. She's so much older than me, and experienced and stronger and has such a different personality and..."

"Alright, alright," Sinvyl grinned. "I get the picture. So, let us concentrate on your similarities to her, then. You might find a hook there."

"Okay, okay," Imoen thought. "Ummmm..." silence. "Ummmm...." More silence. "Ummmmmmmmmm..."

"Come on, there must be something."

"Well, we, kinda sleep in the same bed. Does that count?" Imoen asked.

"Ah, so you are already physically close," Sinvyl winked. "That's good."

"No, no, no," Imoen quickly corrected. "We, um, haven't done that."

"Whyever not?" Sinvyl seemed amazed.

"I, um, haven't told her... I mean, she doesn't know I lov... um, and I don't know how she feels and..."

Imoen, however, was rudely interrupted by Sinvyl's laughter. "Come on, what does sex have to do with love?"

"Um, everything?" Imoen tried... but only succeeded in making Sinvyl laugh even harder.

"You have some very odd notions," Sinvyl raised an eyebrow. "Didn't your mother tell you these things?"

"I never really knew my mother," Imoen said. "But, about Vic, I..."

"I don't see the problem," Sinvyl smiled. "Just take her, or let her take you. Sharing pleasure is the first step towards a deeper relationship, be it for convenience, lust, love or any other reason."

"I thought Drow, um, I mean, we Drow couldn't love... Or, that's what I've heard."

"That's, as your sister colorfully puts it, 'a load of old bollocks'," Sinvyl spoke. "Love is sometimes an inconveniance, yes. We of the Ssins D'aerth know tales of Matrons falling out of grace with the Dark Mother for love of another. We know of forbidden loves in the ranks of the priestesses, among the soldiers. Walk through the common quarters sometimes and you will find signs of affection easily. Some are simply better at being cruel or capricious than to love and suppress it... but we are not all monsters, even though some act like it. Why not simply take a chance with your lady?"

"It's, um, more complicated than that," Imoen sighed. "I kinda never..."

"Ah, I see the problem," Sinvyl said. "But, you're quite old to be a virgin. How come you never..."

"Um, no time, never met the right person, overprotective sister, very overprotective sister, the kind of overprotective sister that castrates on the first offense."

"How old are you?"

"19."

"And how old is the lady you are eying?"

"Well over 220."

"I see there is a problem there," Sinvyl said. "You are definitely not in the same range of experience."

"I can't expect her to settle for a slip of a girl like me, especially since she's used to, like those advanced Drow techniques and everything. I suppose I wouldn't mind if she would, you know, goes with someone else for a night... at least, I think I wouldn't mind," but Imoen truly didn't know if she would mind it or not.

"Love and sex are two completely different things," Sinvyl said, "one can lead to another, certainly. But if you have little experience like you, there might be other things to attract her attention."

"That'll be hard," Imoen said. "She gets annoyed quickly and, well, after all that time I spent with her in the party, I still don't know what it is she really wants."

"Imagine, if you will, a few simple ways to attract the attention of your target," Sinvyl smiled. "First of all, find things she's interested in. That way, you'll have something to talk about. Secondly, find ways to impress her, be it little things or grand spectacles. Sometimes the subtle approach works better, but it depends on her personality. Attract her attention with a gift. Let her know you're available for more than just a cordial or professional relationship. Seduction works best. In any case, you have to work to attain your goal. Trust me, Drow females all love getting this kind of attention."

"Not this one," Imoen whispered.

"I doubt it," Sinvyl smiled. "But there's only one way to find out. In the meantime, however, there is a specific problem I can help you with."

"What?"

"You need to overcome your inhibitions," Sinvyl smiled. "You need to become more comfortable with who you are."

"What if I'm not really what I look like I am..." Imoen started to say, but caught herself. "Um, never mind."

"It's okay," Sinvyl said. "You are young still. Maybe young persons don't know their place in the world yet."

Imoen wanted to say that's not what she meant, and that she was currently shifted into a magical form of a Drow, but she know it could be dangerous if she did.

Imoen's eyes grew wide however, when she saw Sinvyl's robe fall off. All blood rushed to her cheeks. She wanted to look away, but her body failed to obey her brain's commands.

"Before you can even think about attraction the attention of such an experience lady, you need to be more secure about your own body. Come here... lay down on the bed."

Imoen ran out the door in less than a second.

"Hmmm," Viconia closed her eyes after she lounged around in the jacuzzi next to her exhausted lover-of-the-eve.

"Indeed," the male whispered. "The 'Jiggly Spider' combined with the 'Multiple Webstrings' in a tantric environment while in the jacuzzi. Definite pioneering."

"The jacuzzi was a nice addition," Viconia said. "Plus, it saves time bathing afterwards. I am well pleased, male. I shall leave a very favorable review with the Pleasure Mistress."

"I thank you. Shall I..."

"Leave me to soak for a while?" Viconia smirked. "Absolutely."

The male complied and left, leaving Viconia to sit in the tub for a while. A few minutes later, Viconia had had enough and slipped out of the warm water, taking one of the towels off the rack to dry herself. While standing in front of the mirror, Viconia dried her hair and tied it back in a tail after brushing it briefly. Viconia couldn't resist to indulge in her vanity and regarded her body in the mirror for a moment. Although her body had lost just a tiny bit of her curviness to since she started travelling in Laska's party, she was unmistakenly a prime example of femininity. Despite the heavy fighting over the past years, her dusky skin was smooth, soft and completely without scars. She let a hand move over her upper arm... then smiled and proceeded to slide into her green suede pants and jacket. Her boots slipped on perfectly and with a single twist on her heels, she left the room.

Just as she was about to head towards the exit of the pleasure-centers, she felt a figure slam into her from the side, almost knocking her into the wall. As she turned around to throw a numerous amount of Drow obscenities towards her victim, she noticed it was in fact Imoen.

"What are you doing here?" Viconia smirked. "Looking for new experiences, perhaps?"

Imoen looked stricken for a moment. "No, no, NO!" she said, "I, um, was looking for you... Um," then her eyes lit up, "I wanted to take you to the art-stands at the marketplace!"

Find things she's interested in, Imoen smiled inwardly. Sinvyl is a genius!

"Hm, nice," Viconia said as she examined a meter high stele, carved in a sound form, completely covered with artful depictions of violence, loss, destruction and passion on all sides. Viconia let her hands slide over the one meter high craftsmanship for a while.

"Only you would like something like this," Imoen said as she looked away from the thing and looked around the marketplace. It was smaller than it had been, due to shortage of food, but apparently, there were still sellers and buyers around for all kinds of articles.

"I'd really like to take this home with us," Viconia sighed, being genuinely disappointed. "But it'll be too cumbersome to carry home, and it'll be a while before we'll return to the surface, I suspect. A true pity, it is such a masterpiece."

"Oh, picture books!" Imoen grinned and took Viconia by the arm, taking the now-annoyed Drow away from the craft-seller's stand to a bookstand with a special section for colorful looking picturebooks. The two women flipped through a few pages for a while.

"I didn't know the Drow drew picturebooks," Imoen said.

"No, no, these are imported from Kara-Tur," Viconia said. "Phaere told me they are very popular at the moment. The kids love them."

"Look at these girls, why are their eyes so big?" Imoen said.

"Overcompensating?" Viconia wondered as she flipped through a book in which a team of five girls in sailor-suits were fighting a rather silly looking monster. "Don't know why, really."

"And these small noses and mouths," Imoen replied while she flipped through a book in which flying boys with weird hair-do's and tails blasted more weird monsters with their Ki-powers. "How do they eat?"

"Don't ask me about the logic," Viconia said. "Apparently the kids love'em."

"The kids love this?!" Imoen blushed after she had grabbed another book, depicting two cartoonishly deformed characters in a rather graphic embrace.

"No, those are for the adults, apparently." Viconia said.

Imoen then grabbed another one, and blushed again. The book depicted two girls kissing furiously, and, after flipping the page, she noticed the girls went a lot further than just kissing. Imoen blinked... and blinked again, transfixed on the pictures.

"See something you like?" Viconia smirked. Even though Imoen was reasonably sure Viconia didn't know what was in the book, she quickly put it down.

Imoen took another book from the adult section. "EEEEWWWWWW! What's that Mindflayer doing to that girl?!" Viconia's eyes narrowed as she glanced over Imoen's shoulder. "Dear, oh, dear," the Drow muttered, "I hope he's cleaned his tentacles."

Imoen tossed down the book... and picked it up again to put it on the rack after the saleslady shot her a dirty look. "I don't know who's weirder : The people who draw these or the people who buy these!" Imoen concluded.

"Let's move on," Viconia said. "There's nothing here worth buying."

"Yeah!" Imoen said and matched the saleslady's dirty look. After Viconia had gotten a reasonable headstart, Imoen rushed back to the stand, flipped a coin to the saleslady and quickly stuffed the picturebook which had the pictures of the two girls into her pouch.

But just as she was about to follow Viconia, Imoen was hit with an idea. Why no apply one of Sinvyl's tips now? Attract her attention with a gift resounded in her mind. Vic'd never make the first move. She'd have to do this on her own.

"I can't believe you did that," Viconia smiled as she fondly regarded the stele. It was indeed beautiful. Unfortunately, at the moment, they were still far from home, in the middle of the road and Imoen was slowly dragging the heavy stele behind her. "It was a bit of a thoughtful gift, if a little impractical."

"It's okay!" Imoen groaned. She felt every muscle in her body ache while she dragged the stele along.

"Are you sure you do not wish me to help..." Viconia started to say, but Imoen would hear none of it. The rule Finds ways to impress her were still on Imoen's mind, and she knew of no other way to impress then to drag a heavy stele across the road.

"I am wearing a strength-belt, Imoen," Viconia said.

"It's okay," Imoen grunted while the sounds of stone scraping over stone filled the air.

"We could leave it here and get the bag of holding to..."

"It's OKAY!" Imoen said, almost falling over, thinking all the time it was, at least, tougher to steal.

Somewhere in the distance, a salesman in the wondered wondered how that loosened stalactite had suddenly ended up next to his stand.

"You really didn't have to do this," Viconia said as Imoen dragged the stele inside. With a thud, the stele landed in it's place next to the door inside the house. And that wasn't the only object being dragged along. A very, very tired Imoen dragged herself towards the couch and collapsed there, letting out a very, very deep groan.

"I... wanted... to... do... it," Imoen grunted between gasps.

Viconia sighed and sat down beside her while she lay on her stomach. "Come on," Viconia said. "Lift your shirt."

Imoen gasped for a moment. "W-why?"

"So I can give you a massage," Viconia said. "I am very good at giving massages and if I don't loosen up your muscles, you'll be walking hunch-backed for days."

Before Imoen could comply, Viconia raised the shirt for her. Imoen felt like she was wax in Viconia's hands when she felt the Drow's nimble fingers start to slide over her flesh, slowly kneading the knots in her aching muscles. She felt comfort, she felt relief, she felt content... she felt the urge to jump Viconia.

Viconia continued her assault, slowly sliding her warm hands from Imoen's shoulders, across her back alongside her spine, to rest a moment at the very top of her buttocks. Then, they slid up again, softly kneading as she went along.

Imoen gasped a little at every move, doing her best to keep herself from groaning, all the while concentrating on the wonderful sensations. Suddenly, however...

"YYYOOOOOWWWWWWWW!" Imoen shrieked when Viconia jabbed her elbow directly against Imoen's spinal column. "That HURTS!!!"

"No pain no gain," Viconia said, "besides, that loosened up your spine."

As Viconia continued her soft massage, Imoen concluded she did indeed feel better. She once again revelled in the sensations, still knowing it was her who had to be one to make the first move... but still, if it meant she'd get more of these massages, she'd be more than willing to bite through the sour apple.

"Interests, check," Imoen giggled as she stood in front of the mirror. "Impressing, check. Gift, check. Seduction," she smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a tight-filling black dress with a high slit on each side. The cleavage was deep and did well to show off her temporary spell-enhanced chest. Her pink hair was pinned up with some chop stick like things she found in Dynaheir's room, while she had accentuated her eyes with a make-up kit she had bought at the market-place.

Another spell had significantly reddened her lips as well. In total, she had went for the saucy-sorceress looks. Even though her body had the shape of a Drow, she hoped it would be enough to attract Vicky.

"Reference material," Imoen said as she looked at the picturebook on the bed, from which she had stolen this particular look. "Kinda check."

With lead in her shoes, Imoen went to the living room where Viconia would be working to update the journal. This was going to be it. There was nobody else at home to complicate matters, but still, this was going to be terribly difficult. Of course, she thought of bringing flowers... sadly, flowers weren't available, so she had to settle for mushrooms. She stopped at the doorway, taking a few deep breaths before she stepped inside.

"Hi, Vic," was her brilliant opening line.

Viconia, who was working on the party's journal, looked up for a moment... then raised an eyebrow. "What on Toril are you wearing?!"

"Oh, just, um, a little number," Imoen grinned uneasily. "Here, I brought you these," she said, but just as she was about to take out the mushroom she was hiding behind her back, the accidentally trod on her dress and fell forward, causing the mushroom to be sent flying and land right in Viconia's lap.

"What is this?!" Viconia nearly shrieked.

"Just, um, a token of my affection," Imoen gulped, trying to recover. Unfortunately for her, the mushroom shot a load of spores in every direction, giving the poor Drow quite a coughing fit.

"Ack!" Viconia coughed and wiped the spores away.

"Are you alright?!" Imoen yelled and raced over to Viconia's side, bending over her slightly.

"What the... " Viconia suddenly blinked. "Are you using enhancement-spells?!"

"Wha? No, no, no, all natural," Imoen grimaced. "All natural girl. That's me! 100% nature, no magic..."

Sadly for Imoen, she once again stepped on her dress, this time it was the back. An audible sound of tearing cloth could be heard and suddenly, Imoen felt the area around her butt was a little better ventilated. She quickly covered the area with her hands, hoping Viconia wouldn't notice.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Viconia stood up and shouted, but the wetness in Imoen's eyes stopped her dead in her tracks. Imoen couldn't stand it any longer and stormed out, crying all the way.

"Imoen?" Viconia whispered as she entered the bedroom they shared. The Drow came across a pair of broken chopsticks, a torn up picture-book and pieces of a dress. And there she found Imoen, all enhancement spells cancelled, her make-up smeared and her dress in tatters, crying her eyes out in her pillow.

Viconia sighed and laid herself down beside her, softly laying her hand on Imoen's shoulder.

"Why do I mess up everything?" Imoen cried and turned to face Viconia. Their eyes locked and, for a moment, Viconia lost herself in those eyes. Imoen's lip quivered and more tears started to come. "I blew the first move..."

Viconia's expression did not chance. She moved her hand to lay on Imoen's cheek and briefly brushed away a tear with her thumb. Imoen's breathing quickened when Viconia's leaned in, tilting her head ever so slightly. Imoen squeezed her eyes shut just before Viconia did the same. Ever so softly, their lips touched. The sheer softness intoxicated both. Imoen was struggling to keep up, but a reassuring caress over her cheek convinced her to leave everything to the Drow.

Imoen tried to gasp when Viconia started to part her lips with her tongue. She shuddered for a moment, but let Viconia continue her exploration. She had never felt like this before in her life. In her younger years, she had been kissed... but what she felt wasn't like anything she was feeling now.

She was too afraid to open her eyes, but, in her blindness, she hoped she wouldn't accidentally hit Viconia as she tried to embrace her. But all went well. Viconia moved closer to her and returned the embrace, even deepening the kiss further for a moment.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of bliss, Viconia broke the kiss, after lingering around Imoen's lips for a few more moments. They lay there for a while, merely staring in each other's eyes. Imoen didn't dare to say anything, fearing the sound could break a very fragile dream. But there was really no need for words anymore. Not a thousand words could add to the intensity of the kiss. Imoen embraced Viconia, pressed her check against her and refused to let go.

Later, the two stood at the balcony overlooking the city. Viconia had her arm wrapped around Imoen's waist, while Imoen had her head on Viconia's shoulder.

"I can't believe you made the first move," Imoen smiled, revelling in the closeness of her newfound lover.

"I can't believe on how many levels your failed to make the first move," Viconia shook her head, "or the strange advisors you sought out."

Imoen smiled for a bit. "So..." she said. "What happens next?"

"I honestly don't know," Viconia said. "This is new territory for me."

"At least we're both rookies on this," Imoen smiled. "If you like, I do have some romance novels we could check out and..."

"NO!" Viconia said sharply.

"But I suppose," Imoen said. "We'll find out. We can't tell Laska, though."

"Our little secret," Viconia replied. "Tymora knows I will do my best."

"We need all the luck we can get," Imoen said. "Um, Vic?"

"Hm?"

"Could I, um, get another one of those massages?"

"Whenever you want."

"Vic?"

"Yes?"

"No painful elbowings this time, please."