Peri and Sarevok were quiet, making their way back to An Mah's inn in the darkening night. Umikaze was sleeping contently in her mothers arms, oblivious to the heavy burden of hard decisions upon her heart. People were emerging from the houses, lighting the red lanterns on the porches.
- "I think we will have to make the decision tonight," Peri said. "Dwelling in doubts and uncertainty will only eat us all alive."
- "And Chen as well deserves to know what we are going to do," Sarevok nodded. They had told the commander that they would hold a family meeting tonight and talk about the situation.
- "There is a certain solution... I suppose we could split up... but I really would rather not," Peri said.
Sarevok shook his head.
- "Think," he said. "Umikaze can not be separated from you, and we really don't want her in the war zone. On the other hand, I will have to be the one who travels to Kozakura and buries Tamoko. It is a debt of honor I can not trust to anyone else, not even you. You understand, don't you?"
Peri merely nodded. She certainly did. She was relieved, too. She felt that she would never want to be far away from her family, as Winski and Jelena were her step parents now. After a short walk they found the inn, and the equally serious reminder of the family sitting in their corner table.
- "Aiayah! What the problem? No happy faces at all!" An Mah said, frowning.
- "Just... some trouble. Nothing big," Peri said, smiling bleakly. 'You know, there is a ferocious warlord bent on conquering the world who will very possibly attack this city.' Nope.
An Mah apparently didn't buy it, as her frown was just as deep, but she said nothing.
- "Hello, kids," Winski said, smiling a smile that did not reach his eyes. "What news?"
- "Apparently Chen's superiors are smug bureaucrats and they didn't take her seriously," Peri sighed. "So they will not help. Chen didn't exactly ask us to help her, but it was floating in the air. And I will feel like a real shit if we just up and leave. But on the other hand, what if the Khan doesn't attack? And if she does, what if the war will go on for years?"
- "If she does attack the superiors will believe Chen, though," Imoen pointed out.
Sarevok's face brightened at that.
- "How about this. We will wait for a while, say a month or so. And if she still hasn't attacked, we move on. Because we can help to minimize the damage caused by the initial attack, and when the bureaucrats send reinforcements we can travel to Kozakura."
- "Let us vote on the suggestion," Jelena said. "Who supports Sarevok?"
Everyone raised their hands, and Jelena smiled, pleased with the unanimous verdict.
- "We get to be together, and there is a clear goal for Sarevok," Peri said. "It is a month, and then we are gone."
Relieved about reaching a decision, they relaxed and ordered a jar of An Mah's plum wine.
- "Better now, eh?" the innkeep smiled. "Family good thing, very important!"
Then she frowned again, shooting Peri a scowling glance.
- "You. Need to get a man, a father for little Umikaze! Not difficult, you not ugly girl."
- "Thanks for the advice," Peri sighed. She had already learned it was not worth the trouble to argue with An Mah.
- "You know..." Imoen said, "I have been thinking... I will come to Kozakura and I want to see it and all... but I am missing Faerun. Candlekeep, even. It is... what I know. This Kara-Tur is fascinating, but it is not me. And I feel like I live on different wavelength from you others. I will grow old and die, for me time is a different thing."
- "Im, " Peri said. "Perhaps... perhaps we could make a way to make you immortal too!"
She was alarmed. She did not want Imoen to go.
- "I am not at all sure that I want it," Imoen said, very serious. "I think... the very shortness of life, mortality and its pain and pleasure is something I don't want to leave behind. There is the afterlife, of course... but that is a different matter. You are beings who dwell the Red Earth, like they say here, beings like devas or spirits. I am just me, Imoen. I would miss you, but I think I must find my own way. But not right away. I will stick with you for a long time still."
- "Sister dear... spark of your sweet sugary soul will always remind me of you, wherever you go," Sarevok said. The expression was a little inside joke of theirs nowadays.
- "Thanks Sar," Imoen smiled. "I think... I will go to the yard with Cespy now. I feel like being alone for a while."
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Sarry and co decide to wait for a month until they leave for Kozakura, reasoning that if Yun-Men indeed attacks, they can help with the initial attack until the reinforcements come and then leave.
Road of redemption