Sorry, I was hoping for it to be cheerier, but it wouldn't cooperate!
"I am sorry to hear about what has happened." Firebead said, sitting on a pink cushioned chair by his large dormant flagstone fireplace. "Gorion was a great man and will be sorely missed." A teak serving table squatted by his chair, within easy reach. Atop the silver gilt serving tray, eight bone white ceramic tea cups circled around a taller teapot, all designed with gold leaf patterns on silver stems. Firebead poured Phoenix a cup of tea and held it out.
Phoenix took the offering and cupped it in her hands. "How did you know? It's only been days..." The night of the half moon she'd lost Gorion. The next night, she'd found Xzar and Montaron's fire and slept there. The night after that she'd traveled with them and fought gibberlings, where Montaron had told her how to stab properly. That same night, Aoln, Imoen and the two half elves had tracked her down using that big healthy wolf with the glistening teeth. Last night she'd had to kill a mage.
"I spoke with a traveler on the road who saw a young woman of your description and one of Imoen's carrying a body. Gorion is not with you, so I have done a little bit of guesswork, you see." Firebead poured another cup of tea and handed it to Khalid.
"T-thank you." Khalid mumbled, sipping gingerly, as if he were afraid the cup would bite him.
Phoenix nodded gravely. She took a sip of tea to keep herself from speaking. She needed to compose her thoughts. She would also need to control her breathing to keep herself calm and collected. Karan had taught her. With all of the things in the world that she couldn't control, at least she could control her own body.
"Someone has put out a bounty on my head." She said, evenly. "Assassins were trying to kill me in Candlekeep before we left, and a group of them caught up to us the very night we left. They weren't brigands, they didn't ask for gold or valuables. A man with glowing golden eyes and very heavy spiky armor told Gorion that he wouldn't be hurt if he handed me over. He didn't. A mage attacked me with an arrow of magical force. I bound the wound immediately. Gorion ordered me to run. The mage and the strange warrior woman tried to chase me down but in the darkness, the mud and the rain, they couldn't find me. The mage kept lighting up areas with glowing orbs, and the warrior woman kept looking in the light, ready to pounce. I think they startled a wild dog and chased it out of the area, but I stayed awake for a long time, sure they'd come back." She frowned. The rain. The cold. The fear. It had been far worse than she cared to relate. She knew that she shouldn't be afraid of death, but those adults had scared her. She didn't necessarily need to take vengeance, since Gorion would be returned if it took her the next eighty years to do it or if she got him back within the week. But the next time she saw those adults, she intended to be able to call on forces that would scare them. She would study very hard in order to make sure that they would be frightened next time. "In the morning, Imoen told me she saw what happened. I insisted that Imoen help me carry Gorion to the temple at the Friendly Arms Inn. The priest could not raise him. At least the attempt did reverse the rotting that had already happened. However, he is in the crypt there. I think Rebos would be able to raise him, so I want to take him to Baldur's Gate."
Firebead sighed. He poured a third cup of tea and held it.
"But Baldur's gate is keeping their gates locked because of the iron crisis and the corresponding rise of bandits." She frowned. "So in order to get to Baldur's Gate, I need to fix this whole mess with their mine. Apparently, the city would rather declare war on Amn than fix their own problems." She sighed. "I really don't know why, if they are afraid of brigands that they are even considering war." She shook her head. "Bandits are small pests compared to the organized forces of an army."
Firebead sipped his tea. His eyes were very troubled. "Phoenix, these are hard years to live in. I do not envy you the timing of your youth." He said smiling apologetically. "Many will doubtlessly ask for your help, and many who need it will not. I trust your judgment on these matters, though I would ask that you do not overtax yourself trying to quickly bring back the dead, as the dead have far more time than the living." Firebead said, sipping his tea some more.
Phoenix sipped, Firebead sipped, Khalid sipped. The lanterns that lit the room could be heard now, flickering in the silence.
"An assassin tried to kill us outside of Beregost last night." Phoenix said. "We had to kill him. I have his spellbook. Would you like to look it over and see if any of the spells would be useful to you?"
Firebead half smiled. "I can look them over for that, yes, but do you have questions about the spells?"
Phoenix's eyes lit up, though she did manage to suppress the grin. "I certainly do. Many questions."
"Oh. So perhaps there is use for this old man yet." He smiled. "But I would ask you a favor as well."
Phoenix smiled eagerly. "What can I do for you?"
"There is a book I've been meaning to purchase called the History of the Fateful Coin. I have seen in it town, though I cannot recall where." He said, waving his hand to show how vague the memory was. "If you bring it to me, I will give you a book in return."
Phoenix smiled. "I saw it at the Inn this morning with the other things for sale. I will get it for you."
"Perhaps you could leave your young friend with me for a moment so that I can get an idea about who it is you are traveling with these days."
"Oh, they claim to be friends of Gorion." She said frowning. "Though he's only mentioned them to me twice and that was the night we left."
"I see." Firebead said. "Then I will definitely talk to the young man."
Bhaal's Youngest: Chapter 46
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, Nov 24 2006 05:56 AM
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#3
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Posted 24 November 2006 - 04:18 PM
Thank you! I'm certain that this tea break will help. She finally got to tell someone what happened, even though she only summarized it. She also trusts Firebead and respects him and Khalid gets to see how she acts around someone who has earned her trust and respect. Also, I wanted Khalid to meet Firebead and vice versa.
#4
Laufey
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Posted 24 November 2006 - 06:43 PM
Sorry, I was hoping for it to be cheerier, but it wouldn't cooperate!
That's the way it can be, sometimes. Best go with the flow, I say.
Phoenix took the offering and cupped it in her hands. "How did you know? It's only been days..." The night of the half moon she'd lost Gorion. The next night, she'd found Xzar and Montaron's fire and slept there. The night after that she'd traveled with them and fought gibberlings, where Montaron had told her how to stab properly. That same night, Aoln, Imoen and the two half elves had tracked her down using that big healthy wolf with the glistening teeth. Last night she'd had to kill a mage.
Yes, Bhaalspawn grow up quickly.
Phoenix nodded gravely. She took a sip of tea to keep herself from speaking. She needed to compose her thoughts. She would also need to control her breathing to keep herself calm and collected. Karan had taught her. With all of the things in the world that she couldn't control, at least she could control her own body.
Oh yeah, Dekkie would understand this, all too well.
"Someone has put out a bounty on my head." She said, evenly. "Assassins were trying to kill me in Candlekeep before we left, and a group of them caught up to us the very night we left. They weren't brigands, they didn't ask for gold or valuables. A man with glowing golden eyes and very heavy spiky armor told Gorion that he wouldn't be hurt if he handed me over. He didn't. A mage attacked me with an arrow of magical force. I bound the wound immediately. Gorion ordered me to run. The mage and the strange warrior woman tried to chase me down but in the darkness, the mud and the rain, they couldn't find me. The mage kept lighting up areas with glowing orbs, and the warrior woman kept looking in the light, ready to pounce. I think they startled a wild dog and chased it out of the area, but I stayed awake for a long time, sure they'd come back." She frowned. The rain. The cold. The fear. It had been far worse than she cared to relate. She knew that she shouldn't be afraid of death, but those adults had scared her. She didn't necessarily need to take vengeance, since Gorion would be returned if it took her the next eighty years to do it or if she got him back within the week. But the next time she saw those adults, she intended to be able to call on forces that would scare them. She would study very hard in order to make sure that they would be frightened next time. "In the morning, Imoen told me she saw what happened. I insisted that Imoen help me carry Gorion to the temple at the Friendly Arms Inn. The priest could not raise him. At least the attempt did reverse the rotting that had already happened. However, he is in the crypt there. I think Rebos would be able to raise him, so I want to take him to Baldur's Gate."
It *would* be interesting with a live Gorion along with the party! Zombie Gorion is a pretty gruesome thought though.
Rogues do it from behind.
#5
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Posted 24 November 2006 - 07:22 PM
That's the way it can be, sometimes. Best go with the flow, I say.
I fought it with a few days and found that there is no way that Firebead would not bring this up...to spare Phoenix from having to bring it up to him...
Yes, Bhaalspawn grow up quickly.
They sure do.
Oh yeah, Dekkie would understand this, all too well.
Honestly, I sometimes wonder how he would react to her, if they ever met...
It *would* be interesting with a live Gorion along with the party! Zombie Gorion is a pretty gruesome thought though.
Yeah, it would be interesting. I don't think a zombie Gorion is going to be happening anytime soon...but if it were to happen, she'd make sure she got him awakened. Which is worse.
Instead of uuuughhh. Can you imagine a zombie Gorion walking around lecturing her for being a necromancer? You know, with a proper mage's vocabulary?
#6
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Posted 24 November 2006 - 07:41 PM
Oh, it's so good to see a Bhaalspawn with a plan! I wonder if she actually manages to raise Gorion... That would be certainly interesting. I'm not sure whether good or bad, but certainly interesting.
Although it's slightly weird how, at the end, the two wizards are talking about Khalid as if he weren't there. Even when Phoenix voices her suspicions of him openly, to his face, he still doesn't react. Was there some soporific in the tea?
Although it's slightly weird how, at the end, the two wizards are talking about Khalid as if he weren't there. Even when Phoenix voices her suspicions of him openly, to his face, he still doesn't react. Was there some soporific in the tea?
#7
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Posted 24 November 2006 - 08:36 PM
Thank you! I enjoy Phoenix's having a plan.
Nothing in the tea. He's just tongue tied...and embarrassed. I don't know about you, but I'd be embarrassed to be in that room drinking tea while those two talked about Gorion's death. He's waiting to talk to Firebead without Phoenix in the room. He knows the book errand is just to get Phoenix out of the room for a moment so the two harpers can talk.
Nothing in the tea. He's just tongue tied...and embarrassed. I don't know about you, but I'd be embarrassed to be in that room drinking tea while those two talked about Gorion's death. He's waiting to talk to Firebead without Phoenix in the room. He knows the book errand is just to get Phoenix out of the room for a moment so the two harpers can talk.
#8
Laufey
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Posted 24 November 2006 - 11:59 PM
Oh yeah, Dekkie would understand this, all too well.
Honestly, I sometimes wonder how he would react to her, if they ever met...
I imagine he'd have a great deal of sympathy for her. He was a bright, but lonely and disturbed child himself, after all.
It *would* be interesting with a live Gorion along with the party! Zombie Gorion is a pretty gruesome thought though.
Yeah, it would be interesting. I don't think a zombie Gorion is going to be happening anytime soon...but if it were to happen, she'd make sure she got him awakened. Which is worse.
Oh yes, creepy but sort of fun!
Rogues do it from behind.
#9
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Posted 25 November 2006 - 07:03 AM
I imagine he'd have a great deal of sympathy for her. He was a bright, but lonely and disturbed child himself, after all.
I kind of thought that might be the case...thank you. Just curious.
Oh yes, creepy but sort of fun!
Very true.
We'll have to see what Rebos can do for us when we get there. 
I can't believe how many chapters four days has taken me!! Thanks for reading it!
#10
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Posted 25 November 2006 - 08:58 AM
Your Firebeard is almost exactly how I thought he should be! And I'm becoming quite attached to Phoenix as I read more and more -- I still need to find and read the earlier bits though, I guess 
It sounds like she doesn't completely trust Jaheira and Khalid -- though it's a very good point if he's only mentioned them once or twice in her lifetime!
It sounds like she doesn't completely trust Jaheira and Khalid -- though it's a very good point if he's only mentioned them once or twice in her lifetime!
#11
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Posted 25 November 2006 - 03:47 PM
Your Firebeard is almost exactly how I thought he should be!
Thank you! I rather like him.
And I'm becoming quite attached to Phoenix as I read more and more -- I still need to find and read the earlier bits though, I guess
If you'd like to, the easiest way I know of to find them is to go to the search button right by the FAQ, run a search in the serials section for the word Youngest. You'll still get other stuff, but you'll get all of the series, including the two prologues.
(I spent days searching out different stories in their entirety before I noticed that search button...I'm sure you know, but just in case...) Thanks for the interest! It sounds like she doesn't completely trust Jaheira and Khalid -- though it's a very good point if he's only mentioned them once or twice in her lifetime!
She doesn't trust them. She fells this insistence that raising the dead isn't natural is at the least a sort of way to shrug the shoulders and give up on Gorion and at worst an act of deep betrayal. She knows Gorion trusted them, but she doesn't know why...
#12
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Posted 25 November 2006 - 11:37 PM
If you'd like to, the easiest way I know of to find them is to go to the search button right by the FAQ, run a search in the serials section for the word Youngest. You'll still get other stuff, but you'll get all of the series, including the two prologues.
I keep forgetting to do that
But I shall certainly catch up that way -- I'm just about caught up on Theodur's stuff, and I think your story will be the next one for me to go back over because I like the way you write a lot
#14
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Posted 27 November 2006 - 03:54 PM
She is very self-confident"But Baldur's gate is keeping their gates locked because of the iron crisis and the corresponding rise of bandits." She frowned. "So in order to get to Baldur's Gate, I need to fix this whole mess with their mine. Apparently, the city would rather declare war on Amn than fix their own problems." She sighed. "I really don't know why, if they are afraid of brigands that they are even considering war." She shook her head. "Bandits are small pests compared to the organized forces of an army."
. One of the rare things that can make her smile?"An assassin tried to kill us outside of Beregost last night." Phoenix said. "We had to kill him. I have his spellbook. Would you like to look it over and see if any of the spells would be useful to you?"
Firebead half smiled. "I can look them over for that, yes, but do you have questions about the spells?"
Phoenix's eyes lit up, though she did manage to suppress the grin. "I certainly do. Many questions."
She has a point - it is strange when someone does not mention his "friends" at all for several years. And judging by the in-game dialogues it may be the case..."Perhaps you could leave your young friend with me for a moment so that I can get an idea about who it is you are traveling with these days."
"Oh, they claim to be friends of Gorion." She said frowning. "Though he's only mentioned them to me twice and that was the night we left."
"I see." Firebead said. "Then I will definitely talk to the young man."
Your Firebead is interesing fellow. Pity that he won't join her party - I kind of doubt that Edwin, for example, would be good and patient teacher for such strange girl.
#15
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Posted 27 November 2006 - 11:15 PM
She is very self-confident
She is!
One of the rare things that can make her smile?
Yes. The way some kids get about candy she gets about magic.
She has a point - it is strange when someone does not mention his "friends" at all for several years. And judging by the in-game dialogues it may be the case...
Yes. Especially since they are suddenly to be her guardians. (Since she is 11, this is particularly a frustrating issue). Oh, and he's never said so to her, she only heard it from them. If Gorion hadn't told her to search them out if the two got separated, she would have assumed they were more bounty hunters posing as ex friends so they could kill her easily.
Your Firebead is interesing fellow. Pity that he won't join her party - I kind of doubt that Edwin, for example, would be good and patient teacher for such strange girl.
Firebead has his own missions to attend to, so he won't be joining with her. He is interesting, and we will see him again...but we will meet Edwin as well.
You know, supposing you keep reading.
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