And a certain annoying mage...Humble Beginnings
'My old home', Karis thought as the high towers of the library-citadel of Candlekeep loomed in the distance. Suprisingly little had changed since the last time he saw the place, about a decade ago. The alabaster parapets... the narrow spires, the damning walls... It brought back memories. Some fond, some not even close to being fond.
'Even the woods look the same,' Karis thought as he passed through the autumn forest along the road leading to the peninsula where Candlekeep was located.
"Are you going to wallow in silence all day long, hm?" his lover asked as she rode her horse next to his.
"Sorry," Karis smiled. "I was... thinking."
"You carry precious cargo," Viconia grinned and pointed to Vierna, who was sitting in front of Karis on the saddle. "Do your thinking when she's safely on the ground."
"I won't fall!" Vierna stressed. "Daddy rode the nice horsey lots faster yesterday..."
"Don't remind me," Viconia said, not mentioning the mere thought that her child might fall from the horse and hurt herself had been maddening.
"This was your home, daddy?" Vierna asked cheerfully.
"Yes," Karis whispered. "For all of twenty years."
"Wow! Looks neat!" Vierna said, already enjoying the short vacation her Imoen had pestered her daddy into.
"Imoen said it hadn't changed much," Karis mused. "She was right..."
Viconia snorted. "The last time I was here, I ended up in a cage..."
Finally they arrived at the gates of the great citadel, where a single helmed guard was standing, generally looking sternly and unhappy with his current duty.
"HALT!" he spoke up in a powerful voice when he noticed the two riders. "Afore entry is allowed, you must donate a book of great value to our library..."
"I know the drill," Karis sighed and took out a bag containing a rare spellbook.
"Hey, hey," the guard suddenly spoke, his voice suddenly sounding a lot higher. "Don't I knows ya from some place?" Then, his eyes grow wide and he snapped his fingers in victory. "YEAH! You're that Karis fellah everyone's been talking about for so long. Yeah, we all read Clovis' bookie, you're the guy! Go right in!"
"Er, what about the book?" Karis asked.
"Ah, the guys at the goal will have me for breakfast if they found out I let you standing here, go in!" the guard stressed. "The name's Joris, by the way..."
"Wow," Karis said. "He actually broke the rules..."
"Ah, the price of fame!" Viconia chuckled.
---
"Ah, wonderful!" Karis smiled as he was standing in the gardens in front and around the entrance to the actual citadel, which was looking quite the same as it had been, save for a high scaffolds against the inner wall, which seemed to have been partly collapsed. Several watchers were industriously hauling up bricks and cement, while Illusionists were busy enchanting the relatively new bricks to look old and used, to give the wall that 'rustic old castle'-look.
"Let me guest, ssinsrig," Viconia chuckled. "Just like you remember it?"
"You grew up here, daddy?" Vierna asked. "Kinda neat!"
"I don't remember how many times Imoen and I used to play games like 'The evil wizard and the princess' in these gardens... She always made me be the princess..." Karis chuckled. "And then there was 'The Dragon and the Solar'."
"You were the dragon?" Vierna asked.
"Nope, the Solar... But Imoen was pretty good at twisting my arm behind my back so the dragon always won anyway..." Karis laughed. "Oh, the memories..."
"I'm sure they cherish them greatly," a voice sounded from behind. There stood Tethtoril, the kindly old man and elder monk, still wearing his painfully red robe and a friendly smile.
"Tethtoril," Karis smiled. "You don't know how good it is to see you."
"And you must be young Vierna," Tethtoril said while bending to one knee to tickle the little girl's chin.
"HI!" Vierna greeted with enthusiasm.
"So," Tethtoril asked. "What do you think of Candlekeep so far?"
"Hmmm," A pensive look crossed Vierna's young elven features. "Our keep is bigger..."
A mighty laugh escaped from Tethtoril. "Out of the mouth of babes, little one. Out of the mouth of babes. But maybe it's only because you've only seen the front of the keep."
"Okay!" Vierna giggled and began to run the path alongside the citadel, while Viconia and Karis smiled to each other.
"Ah, and you must be the lovely Viconia," Tethtoril smiled. "We've only met briefly before, but I must say that the portrait in Clovis' fine account does not do justice to reality." Then, he moved to take Viconia's head intending to kiss it gently.
"I bid you not to slobber over the back of my hand," Viconia said, pulling her hand away.
Again, a hearty laugh escaped from Tethtoril. "Ah, somehow, I knew you would say that."
"Suave ladies-man," Karis laughed. "Say, are you still seeing that Elven sea captain?"
"Every time she drops anchor in Baldur's Gate," Tethtoril grinned.
Meanwhile, Vierna stormed from the back of the keep and once again came running into the garden. "Nope," she said, while panting a little. "Our keep is still bigger...."
"But maybe," Vierna added. "Maybe, if I run around it again, this keep will be bigger! Yeah, it'll be bigger next time!" she reasoned and started to run again, leaving her parents and Tethtoril to smile at her.
"Say," Karis asked. "What happened to the wall."
"Well, it's a funny story actually," Tethtoril said. "A week ago, we had a visitor for Thay, a very, very, very annoying fellow. Loved to insult everyone to the bone... That's how it happened. He started to pick a fight with a Halruaan mage, we could hear him shouting from inside the keep. Unfortunately for our little loudmouth, the Halruaan turned out to be a Green Dragon in disguise. Even then, the Thayvian cockily decided to attack the dragon, thinking he could beat him all on his own. But the dragon just laughed, turned around and slammed his hind leg into the Thayvian AND the wall... The dragon was quite a nice guy, though. Even paid for the repairs to the wall... But we are still busy pulling the pieces of a red robe out of the masonry..."
---
Vierna was still vigorously running alongside the keep, trying to count the number of bricks she saw while swooshing by them, but never getting any higher that six. Suddenly, she crashed into somebody and found herself sprawled on the ground. She found herself looked on by a stern looking old gentleman with fire in his eyes.
"Hi!" Vierna greeted with the usual enthusiasm, but it was not answered.
"Impudent child," the man snarled. "Have you no manners? Look where you walk."
"Sorry," Vierna said. "But I must keep on running."
Just as she was about to run off, she felt a hand grab her by the collar.
"A word of warning, child," the man snarled. "I will have none of your chaotic antics here. Trust your father to find an equally dark natured mate and sire a child with a double taint..."
"HEY!" Vierna said with the usual ferocity, making the man take a startled step back. "Stop saying mean things about my momma and daddy or... I'll KICK YOU IN THE SHINS!"
"Vierna," Tethtoril spoke as he rounded about the corner. "Vierna, honey? Why don't you join your parents..."
Vierna nodded and complied, giggling widely as she ran off, singing a song officially proclaiming her own home as bigger than Candlekeep.
"Did you see that?" the man spoke. "Did you see that child? Like a demon in the making..."
"Oh, shut up, Ulraunt," Tethtoril retorted. "What does an old buzzard like you know about children anyway?"
"I am STILL your superior, Tethtoril," Ulraunt spoke. "And he will always be a Bhaalspawn, no matter what anyone says! If nothing else I pity the poor child for having such a father. I wonder if she even knows of her own taint."
"You will say nothing, Ulraunt!" Tethtoril threatened. "You hear me? NOT A WORD! Clovis, and Imoen for that matter, both say those people are loving parents and they don't need you adding to their worries."
"What's going on here?" Karis asked as he came around the corner.
"Nothing, Karis," Tethtoril smiled. "I'm just telling Ulraunt here how it is, that's all..."
"I see," Karis said, while looking upon his old tormentor once more. He seemed to be a lot older and frailer than before, and for a moment, he wondered why, after all he had seen and done, he ever was so afraid of this small-minded man. "Tethtoril?" Karis asked. "Could you see if Vierna isn't running around?"
"Sure," Tethtoril said, taking the hint.
"Now," Karis directed to Ulraunt. "What Tethtoril just told you goes double for me. I've brought Vierna with me because she wanted to see where I used to live and meet my old friend. And I don't want you to tell her anything about... her heritage. Viconia and I will decide when to tell her, NOT you, understand?!"
"You dare to command me in my own citadel?" Ulraunt snarled.
Immediately, Karis stepped forward, suddenly backing a startled Ulraunt into the wall. "I'm not afraid of you any more," Karis said, and turned around, leaving an irate Ulraunt to stew in his own juices
---
"Karis!" Clovis called as he ran from the other side of the wall. "Karis, hello!" Then, he caught his robe on one of the poles of the scaffolds. Slamming into the planks, he cursed and ripped at his robe, eventually tearing it loose. As he ran towards the sticken half-elf, the scaffolding behind him suddenly started to shake and wobble, and while the workers were cussing loudly, the whole thing collapsed. Cussing watchers, cement, bricks and tools all hurtled to the ground, not necessarily in that other.
Clovis, oblivious to the disaster he had caused, stepped up to the person who's life he had chronicled, and shook his hand vigorously. "Hey, welcome man!" he greeted. "Do are you doing? Are you staying long? Did you bring Viconia and Vierna? Is Imoen here as well? Did I tell you I found a Calishite publisher who'll spread the chronicles across Faerun and beyond? Did you have a nice trip? Have I ever told you about the last fishingtrip I had with my cousins Noober and Neeber?"
"Great, no, yes, no, no, yes and I don't wanna know," Karis chuckled. "I take it, you are doing well?"
"Well?" Clovis chuckled. "Why the object of my hard work is being published! How great do you think I feel? Ah, and the lovely Viconia..."
"Don't touch me," Viconia spoke in a low voice.
"Sure, sure," Clovis grinned, "but join us in Winthrop's inn. There's a lot of people who want to see you."
---
"That is your wife?" the cow-hand Dreppin asked Karis while he looked at Viconia with bug-eyes. "And you two met while adventuring, you say? Damn, I need to get myself a sword..."
"I have a sword somewhere," the mage Phlydia mulled over, "but for the life of me, I can't remember where... Or why... Perhaps, ermmm... Oh, now, I'm so confused I don't know where I am and what my name is!"
"Phlydia, Winthrop's inn..." Hull spoke.
"On the planet Hoopsie-loopsie," Winthrop finished with a chuckle.
"Hoopsie-loopsie..." Phlydia considered.
Winthrop simply shook his head and directed his attention to Vierna. "Hey, there," he spoke softly. "Yer a cute one... Hey," he whispered in her eye. "Wanna know a little secret. Look behind you. There's a three-headed-monkey..."
"Where? Where?" Vierna whipped around.
"Right there," Winthrop whispered and pointed to the corner.
"I don't see him," Vierna pouted.
"That's because he's invisible!" Winthrop chuckled.
"Oh," Vierna said. "Hi, little monkey!"
"Hey, what's this..." Winthrop said and brushed his hand over Vierna's ear... and fished out a golden coin. "A coin! Why you must be the eighth wonder of the world, Vierna..."
"WOW!" Vierna raved and took the coin, while her two smiling parents and their friends looked on. Karis was sure he'd enjoy this week at his former home.
---
"Vierna!" Viconia admonished, while she and her family were eating a late dinner at Winthrop's inn. "Stop picking at your ears!"
"But momma," Vierna pouted while she pushed her finger all the way up into the tip of her ear. "There could be more money in there... or candycanes... or toys!"
Karis merely smiled as he finished eating the last of Winthrops excellent chicken paprikash. It brought back many fond memories. Karis and Imoen always enjoyed Winthrop's fine cooking since they were toddlers... Even though, they were often guinea pigs for his newest creations with... various successes. Karis remembered Imoen had taken a bit of pepper-steak and almost flew against the ceiling... 'Too much pepper,' Winthrop had simply muttered, while Imoen picked up a flower-vase and slammed it down in one drought.
"Vierna?" Karis asked with curiosity when he noticed Vierna was about to leave the table with a left-over chickenleg. "Where are you going with that food?"
"I'm gonna give it to the three-headed-monkey!" Vierna giggled. "He has to eat too!"
"I'm sure Winthrop feeds him handsomely," Karis chuckled. "Why don't you eat your own dinner?"
"Okay," Vierna said, and scarfed down the chickenleg in record time, making it obviously painful she had learned her tablemanners from Imoen.
"Momma?" Vierna asked, while her mother wiped the gravy off her chin with a hankerchief. "Can the Three-headed-monkey live in our keep?"
"You already have fourteen cats, ssinjin eoul," Viconia grimaced, not mentioning the monkey was make-believe.
"I'm sure Winthrop wouldn't like to part with him anyway," Karis said.
"Ah, you enjoyed the food, mesdamm, mesjioo?" Winthrop asked while he imitated a fancy innkeeper catering to upscale guests.
"Very," Karis said.
"It was fine," Viconia added.
"Yummy!" Vierna finished.
"Good," Winthrop chuckled. "Shall I show you to your rooms, then? Two adjoining rooms, like I promised," Winthrop said while he led his guests to the small, yet classy rooms of his inn. "Like the decor? I've spent a lot of time rebuilding and redecorating... Problem is, I don't have rooms for two persons, because most of my guests are single wizards or scholars. I'll give you a room with a slightly bigger bed, though, which means you'll be comfortable, but very snug. But I gather that's not a rare occurrence for you two... I'll wake you up tomorrow at the crack of down! Sleep tight." That said he closed the door and walked back downstairs.
"Ah, a fine couple, don't you agree," Winthrop asked while he started to the clean off the table.
The sounds of agreement escaped the mouths of an invisible three-headed primate in the corner.
---
"Here," Karis said as he tucked in his daughter. "I've picked up an extra blanket for you. The nights can be very cold up here."
"Thanks, daddy," Vierna muttered, already getting sleepy from the chicken.
"Do you want a story toni..." Karis began to say, but noticed Vierna had already dozed off. Smiling to himself, he walked back to his own room where he found Viconia laying on the bed, already having claimed the majority of the blankets. Chuckling, he removed his tunic and lay down beside her.
"No story today?" Viconia asked.
"Dozed off immediately," he said and took Viconia in an embrace.
"Tell me," Viconia whispered. "You know Vierna desires nothing more than a little brother or sister... What are your feelings on this?"
"A second child, you mean?" Karis said. "Another child like Vierna? It sounds wonderful to me. Twice the exuberance, twice the laughter, twice the joy..."
"Twice the worries," Viconia said. "Twice the pranks, twice the fear..."
"But it's all worth it, no?" Karis asked.
"Of course it is!" Viconia stressed. "But... I am an elf. Even if we actively try to conceive it still might take a long time... We did beat the odds when Vierna was conceived, after all."
"Well, I always thought we were pretty much active in the bedchambers already," Karis smirked. "But if we both desire a second child, perhaps we should begin with you stopping to cast your protective spells..."
"Are you certain, ssinsrig?" Viconia asked, and when Karis nodded, she continued. "Then... I have a confession to make to you, Karis."
"Oh?" he asked.
"I stopped casting my spells last Mirtul," she grinned, while raking Karis' chest with her nails. He, in return, kissed her deeply.
---
"Here it is," Karis sighed and stepped on top of the small hill next to the citadel. It was a nice grass-covered hill, overlooking the ocean for miles on end. A single tree stood on top of the hill, and at the foot of the tree, a simple gravestone stood in the morning sun.
"Wow!" Vierna raved while she looked over the sea. "I can see the edge of the world!"
"The world is round, Vierna," Karis chuckled. "But on clear nights, it is said that elves with sharp eyes can see the Moonshae Isles from here."
"Maybe I'll go there someday, daddy!" Vierna giggled.
"Yes... perhaps," Karis said and directed his attention back to the gravestone. The name 'Gorion' being the only words carved into the stone. Simple, like he would have liked it. Karis knew for a fact that this hill, flanked by sea and forest was one of Gorion's favorite places... A place he would come to sit and think for hours.
"I... wish you could have known Viconia and Vierna," he whispered while a single tear ran over his cheek. Glancing down next to him, he noticed Vierna looking upon him. She smiled and offered a tiny hand, which Karis gladly took. Together, they stood in front of Gorion's grave for a while.
---
As Vierna and Karis, walking hand in hand, returned to the citadel, they noticed the scaffolds has not only been rebuild, but that most of the wall was whole again as well. Several workers were getting ready to re-thatch the roofs of the towers, and had hauled several bales of straw and buckets of lukewarm tar to the top of the scaffolds. But it seemed the workers had taken an early break. Next to the scaffolding, stood Winthrop hovering over a case filled with wash.
"Hey there me-lad, and me-lady," he greeted cheerfully. "Viconia is waiting for you at the breakfast table."
"Yeah," Karis said. "I kinda took off without telling her..."
"That's not it," Winthrop said. "Before leaving to get these sheets and pillows laundried, I noticed she was talking to Theodon. You might want to intercept them before he shows her that babypicture of yours..."
"Oh, GODS, NO!" Karis cried, patted Vierna over the head and hurried towards the inn.
Meanwhile, Vierna decided to play with her ball by bouncing it against the wall, while Winthrop left his wash for the maids to pick up. After bouncing a little, Vierna lost control over the ball and it shot passed her, landing someone behind her with a loud 'Ummpfh'...
'Ummpfh?' Vierna wondered and turned around... to find Ulraunt lying on the floor holding a ball to his chest. After getting up, Ulraunt stared at her with fury in his eyes.
"Can I have my ball back, please?" Vierna asked and held up her hands.
"Impudent child!" Ulraunt screamed again. "No, you may not have your ball back! Don't you realize you can hurt people by being so careless?"
"It's only a rubber ball," Vierna said, and made a grab for it. A small struggle ensued, during which Vierna not only managed to retrieve her ball, but also pushed Ulraunt to the ground for a second time. But before Vierna could run off, Ulraunt grabbed her by the arm...
"LEGGO!" Vierna shouted.
"No!" Ulraunt snarled. "It is time you learned some discipline. Your parents seem to lack in that department."
Vierna's only reply was to stick out her purple tongue and make a rude noise.
Ulraunt sat down next to the scaffolding and tried to pull the flailing child over his lap. During the struggle, Vierna kicked against the scaffold, making it shake violently before settling again. Suddenly, Vierna found herself freed. She noticed her friend Tethtoril was standing over Ulraunt, who had been pushed into the scaffolds again, which was shaking for a second time.
"I cannot believe," Tethtoril spoke, "that even you would stoop so low as to hit an innocent child. And if you had bothered to read Clovis' book, you would have known what Vierna's mother would do to you. There'd be nothing left of you but a pile of ashes!"
"Baaah!" Ulraunt snarled and steadied himself against the scaffolding. That did it. The scaffolding shook for a third time. After hearing a weird scraping noise, Ulraunt looked up... and screamed. Not a second later, a bucket of lukewarm tar dropped on top of his head. The disgusting black goop dripped all over his skin and robes. In his panicked state, he slammed into the scaffolds again, this time, dropping the bales of hay over himself. Failing, more from surprise and fear than pain, he staggered through the garden. After finally managing to rip the bucket from his head, he opened his eyes just in time to see himself trip and land in the box of pillows. Chickenfeathers exploded through the air, while Ulraunt screamed in outrage and embarrassment.
Meanwhile, the whole population of the keep had come to see what was happening, only to find a laughing Drow child and a sputtering, cursing Ulraunt, covered in tar, feathers and straw...
Everyone was silent, unsure of what would happen. Then, without warning, Tethtoril started to laugh... only to end up clutching his belly and sinking down to the floor. Before too long, everyone was doubled over.
"STOP LAUGHING!" Ulraunt snarled. "GUARDS! ARREST THAT DEMON!"
"No can do," Hull chuckled. "She hasn't done anything wrong..."
Tethtoril's simple reply was to extend is tongue to Ulraunt and made a rude noise.
"And Vierna," Karis chuckled, "will be staying for the WHOLE week!"
"ARGH!" Ulraunt snarled and stormed inside. "PREPARE A BATH!" he shouted to a passing maid.
"So," Karis asked Viconia while everyone was joking and telling stories about Ulraunt behind his back, "still want a second child?"
"Oh, definitely," Viconia chuckled.
To Edwin fans : Don't worry. The Thayvian that was crushed between wall and dragonfoot was NOT Edwin or anyone he ever knew and/or loved.
Thanks go to Luned for suggesting Clovis could be Noober and Neeber's cousin.
