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Chapter 11


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#1 Guest_theacefes_*

Posted 31 January 2005 - 12:50 AM

DISCLAIMER: Some of you who read Chapter 10 might have already begun to wonder about certain parts of it and if you have, you are probably right in your guesses. If you think that reading this sort of stuff is not for your tastes, I would not recommend reading this serial. However, I have made sure that I have done this in a tasteful, appropriate manner, but be aware is all I'm saying. Happy reading!
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Sacrifice: Chapter 11

"How are you feeling?"

"Better. I tried walking today," I said.

Nalia nodded and said, "Did you do okay?"

I shrugged. "I did all right." I looked around the spacious room that Nalia had given me in the keep.

"We should head back to my home. It would be a good place to rest and recover," Nalia suggested as Aerie healed her head wound after we had returned Garren Windspear's son to him. Windspear was the true owner of the land, and Firkragg had taken the lands away from him by force.

"That sounds like a good idea," said Jaheira. "Let's get moving." They removed my armor and Minsc carried me.

During the journey back to Nalia's keep, Minsc began talking about his homeland. Aerie stared at him in awe.

"I had thought that land was the stuff of myth!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, no! It is as real as Minsc and Boo! And Minsc and Boo are most certainly real!" Minsc declared. "But," he said, looking sad, "Minsc and Boo cannot go back. Not without our witch."

"Witch?"

"He is the guardian of a young mage called Dynaheir. She was killed by Irenicus," Jaheira explained as they continued to walk.

"But I have failed!" Minsc said and Boo let out a sad squeak. "I cannot return home."

"I'm so sorry, Minsc! I'm sure she was a great mage!" Aerie said.

Minsc looked at Aerie with a hopeful expression on his face. "Perhaps, little Aerie could be Minsc's witch?"

Aerie smiled. "I'd love to Minsc."

Minsc yelled out in happiness. "HEAR THAT EVIL?!!! MINSC HAS A NEW WITCH!!!!" He faced Aerie and drew her into a giant hug.

"Minsc....I...can't...breathe...."she gasped.

He quickly let go of her. "Minsc is sorry," he said. "But both Minsc and Boo will protect you from all evil!"

"I'm...I'm sure you will Minsc!" Aerie said and laughed a little.



"So, how often would you sneak away from here to visit the slums?" I asked.

"About once or twice a week," Nalia admitted. "Auntie never approved of me talking to what she would call, 'the lower classes' like equals."

"Do you think they're equals?" I asked.

Nalia shrugged. "I think anyone who wants to be an equal, can be. If you don't want to work hard and rely on what your parents have...then you end up like Isaea."

"A guy that deserves a wedgie," I concluded.

"Exactly," she said laughing. "But if you do work hard and you try to help others around you, then you end up feeling good about yourself, and you'll live a good life."

"But what about the people who can't just go out and work hard? What about the slaves and the abused and so on?" I asked.

"Then it is the job of the people who CAN do something about it, to go and DO something about it," Nalia said.

I stared at her; this girl no more that eighteen or nineteen years old had hold of a concept that people many decades older than her barely understood. She had seemed immature at first, but now that I had gotten to know her a little, my whole perspective of her had changed.



"There it is," Nalia said.

"Let's get Auren inside," Jaheira said as we approached the keep.

"I could use a good bath," Yoshimo muttered. Boo squeaked happily.




I wanted to ask her....I wanted to know what exactly had happened the other night and a few days before. I took a deep breath and said, "Um...Nalia?"

"Oh!" she said, apparently not hearing what I had said, or just avoiding the subject as if she knew I was going to ask. "Here," she said, showing me a large bag. "This was lying around the keep. It's everything that the trolls didn't steal while they were here. This and whatever we got from the dragon should be enough to pay for Imoen's rescue."

I stared at her. "Nalia," I said. "This isn't necessary-"

"Don't say anything, just take it. Besides, I want to meet Imoen, too. She sounds like a pretty fun girl. I'm so eager to meet more great people like you......guys." She turned a little reddish but I couldn't tell if it was the light playing tricks on my eyes or not.

"Nalia?"

"Yes?"

"Are..."I suddenly couldn't say what I wanted to say.

"Is what?" Nalia asked.

"That is...um....why did you hold my hand the other night?" I said it quickly and probably slurred my words.

Nalia definitely blushed this time and was silent for a while. "I..." she finally stammered, "um...well you see..."

Damn I made her uncomfortable, I thought to myself. But why was I so concerned about that? Unless I thought about her in a totally different way than what I had originally thought I thought about her. Now I was confused.

"Would you like to have lunch tomorrow?" she finally said. "You know, maybe a picnic or something?"

"Um...sure, I'll tell Jaheira first thing tomorrow," I said, somewhat disappointed.

"Well, I sort of just meant us, you know, me and you?" she said nervously.

"Oh!" I said, feeling a little foolish and embarrased. "S-sure."

"Great!" she said, speaking normally as if this conversation never happened. "Well, I'm going to go to sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow. We can have a REAL breakfast."

I laughed. "Okay. Thanks for all this, Nalia."

She smiled. "No problem. Anything for you....and the group!" She quickly muttered a 'good night' and sped out of the room.

I shook my head and smiled, wondering what in the nine hells I was getting myself into.




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