Chapter 38: Words, not Swords
A week after flooding the mines, Ember and her companions were once again in Beregost. Most of the miners were recuperating at the Friendly Arm Inn; the Mirrorshades had made room for them in the inn and the temple, and Kivan and Ember had given each miner a share of the wealth that had been found in the mine. A dozen or so of the miners had travelled with the group to Beregost, where they had been reunited with their families.
"A good day's work," Coran said with a grin, jiggling the heavy purse he'd received as reward for the wyvern head. While he'd claimed the bounty, Kivan and Minsc had visited the smithy and collected their new suits of armour; both rangers were now dressed in what very much resembled dark green plate mail.
"The day is not done yet," Edwin said sourly.
"It's not far to Thalantyr's tower, Eddie," Imoen said. "Just wait till you see what he has; you'll be in a good mood in no time!"
"We shall see about that. (It would definitely improve my mood if that insufferable elf would leave!)"
As they entered the town square, Ember noticed two people staring at her. She stopped abruptly when they moved towards her.
"What is it?" Imoen whispered. "Assassins?"
"No," Ember replied. "Khalid and Jaheira."
"Oh."
"Um, hello," Ember said uncomfortably as the pair of half-elves stopped in front of her.
"Greetings, child," Jaheira said, her face as stern as ever. "For Gorion's sake, it is good to see you."
"I-It would seem our paths were destined to c-cross once more. I-I hope that you are doing well," Khalid said amiably.
"As well as can be expected, I guess," Ember said.
"We have heard much about you and your actions," Jaheira said.
"You have? How?"
"Our ...investigations in Firewine led us to the mines in Nashkel. We arrived there to find that you and your companions had cleansed and restored the mine. And you are the toast of this town, it appears; rescuing kidnap victims from a mine, destroying mad Cyricists..." A hint of a smile appeared on Jaheira's face, softening it considerably.
"Gorion would be proud of your actions," Khalid said with a smile.
"Do you really think so?" Ember asked.
"Of course he would! You have done much good since we parted," Jaheira said.
"I... I guess we have," Ember said quietly. Would Father be proud of all the killing, though?
"Where are you going now?" Imoen asked.
"North, i-into the forests," Khalid said.
"We have business there," Jaheira added. She glanced quickly at Ember's companions, and furrowed her brow sightly as she scrutinized Edwin and Coran. "You and your friend would be welcome to join us, if you wished," she said, "but I see you have more than enough companions of your own, and you no doubt also have business that must be attended to."
"(How perceptive,)" Edwin muttered.
"Yes, we do," Ember said. "We will be going to Baldur's Gate."
Jaheira nodded, then looked at Kivan. "I remember you. May I have a word with you?"
"If you wish," Kivan said. The elf and the half-elf stepped aside and shared a few whispered sentences, then returned to the others.
"Perhaps we will meet again," Jaheira told Ember. "Good luck on your further ventures."
"And to you also," Ember said.
"F-fare well, child!" Khalid said.
The two half-elves departed up a northerly road, and Ember sighed with relief.
"That wasn't too bad, was it?" Imoen said.
"No. I was worried she'd bite my head off when I saw them, though," Ember said.
Imoen laughed. "You're buffle-headed! You know that, right?"
"With you around to remind me, how could I forget?" Ember said with a grin. "Kivan, what did she talk with you about?"
"Later," Kivan said.
As the group continued onwards to Thalantyr's tower, Coran sidled up next to Kivan. "Who were they?" Coran asked.
"Friends of Ember's foster father. Adventurers," Kivan said.
"A fine figure like hers shouldn't be risked in an occupation such as adventuring," Coran muttered. Edwin and Kivan both rolled their eyes.
---
Ember shuffled her food around her plate without eating much of it. Glancing across the room, she saw Coran dance with a young, pretty serving girl, and Imoen dance with Edwin. Imoen had never looked more the part of a mage than she did now, dressed in a deep pink mage robe that was accented with purple and gold. She'd fallen in love with it when she'd seen it at Thalantyr's, and when Edwin had pronounced it to have more than adequate magical protections (nothing like his own new robe, of course) they had bought it on the spot. The colourful robes billowed around the mages as they moved around the floor in what Ember guessed was a traditional Thayvian dance; Ember half suspected Imoen had asked Edwin to dance only so that Coran wouldn't get the chance to ask her, but they were nonetheless a spectacular sight.
It was so strange, how things had turned out. Her father's murder and the bounty on her head were somehow entangled with what appeared to be a great conspiracy which expanded instead of unravelling whenever she pulled a thread. It would be good to get to the Gate, she mused; the local authorities could deal with the major machinations, and they'd be free to focus on searching for Tazok and for further leads on exactly who in the Iron Throne was after her.
"Why is little Ember sad?" Minsc asked, interrupting Ember's reverie. The large ranger was eating from a hearty plateful of assorted meats and vegetables; Boo sat on the table next to him on a saucer full of seeds and nuts, holding a large seed with both paws and nibbling enthusiastically.
"Sad?" Ember asked. "I'm not sad, I'm just ...thoughtful."
"One could be forgiven for thinking you look sad, child," Kivan said.
"Minsc hasn't seen little Ember smile properly, with her eyes, in a long, long time," the giant said mournfully. "Not since we visited the peaceman and the dryad. It makes Boo worried."
"Really?" Ember asked, thinking back on what had happened since then. Assassins, the mine, the bandits, the other mine, always running towards the next skirmish... most of her strange dreams. It feels like such a long time ago... "I... it was peaceful there," she conceded. "I don't think I've been able to truly rest since then."
"But all heroes must rest sometimes! You need peace and happiness in your heart, and then you can trample Evil much, much better! Right, Boo?" He reached out to pat the hamster, who squeaked in response.
"You're right, Minsc," Ember said with a faint smile. "Things are troubling me. Even my dreams."
Minsc frowned. "Minsc cannot make Evil tremble in dreams," he said.
"Have you had more of those dreams?" Kivan asked.
Ember hesitated before answering. "I may have," she said. "After the mine, I dreamed that I drowned in blood. There was no voice, but it was as if the blood was alive and wanted to destroy me. And... do you remember when we were headed back through Cloakwood and the spiders attacked us? I could cure not one but two of the miners that were poisoned."
Kivan frowned. "Why did you not speak of this sooner?"
Ember's voice dropped to a whisper. "That's not the only time I've dreamed about blood. I've been dreaming that my hands are coated in blood, and I can't get them clean."
"How often have you dreamed of this?" Kivan asked.
"Every night since we destroyed the camp in the wood of Sharp Teeth," Ember said miserably.
Neither of the rangers spoke, and Ember eventually continued. "I am not sure I like myself anymore. Sometimes, I feel like I don't even know myself. It's as if I am watching myself turn into someone who thinks everything can be solved with a swing of my sword."
"Maybe little Ember is becoming a berserker warrior, just like Minsc?" Minsc said in an uncustomarily quiet voice.
Ember sighed. "Who knows?"
"We will do what we can to help you," Kivan said.
"You will?"
"Of course, child. And even if I had not already been determined to do so, your father's friend made me promise to protect you and Imoen. You have done much for me; I owe you no less."
"Minsc will also help little Ember and little Imoen! No matter where Evil hides, it will be pulled out into the light where it will meet my sword and my hamster, and together we will bring it to justice for what it does to Minsc's charges!"
Ember felt her eyes fill with tears. "Thank you both, so much," she said with a smile.
"You need a break from fighting, I believe," Kivan said. "A few days..." He trailed off and looked across the table over Ember's head; his eyebrows furrowed as if he were looking at something unpleasant.
"Ember, you look like our gloomy rangers are boring you to death," Coran said cheerily as he put a hand on Ember's shoulder. "Come, you should dance. The night is yet young!"
"No thank you, Coran, I'm tired," Ember said in mild protest.
"Oh, I insist! Just one dance, to put roses back in your lovely cheeks!"
"Oh very well, but just one," Ember said with a sigh, wondering why she hadn't followed Imoen's example. She slowly stood up and followed the grinning elf to the dancefloor.
"Isn't life wonderful?" Coran asked as the dance started. "Wyverns are dead, coin fills our purses, and we'll be in the city in two days' time!"
"I've never seen the Gate," Ember said politely.
"Never? With so much to see and experience there? Have no fear, for Coran will be your guide to the city!"
"Thanks, I guess."
They danced in silence for a while. Ember was careful to maintain as much distance between them as she could, while Coran incessantly tried to move closer to her. The combination led them in a large circle around the floor over the course of the dance.
"You have the most beautiful... er... eyes," Coran said abruptly.
What in the nine hells? "Really?" Ember said in a raised, innocent tone, and demurely looked down. A moment later, she completely closed her eyes, and the line of her mouth hardened. "What colour are they?" she asked, her voice as hard and flat as her expression.
"Ah, uh, blue! Bright blue!"
"No," Ember said. Her dark green eyes were full of annoyance as she looked at the elf. "Imoen's eyes are that colour," she said coolly. "And I really am too tired for this, so you'll have to excuse me." She turned away from Coran and walked off the dance floor, leaving the Elf behind.
