The Nether Scroll Disaster: Part 10
Little was said the next morning, as Kane’s party packed up their equipment and started moving again. It was obvious that Edwina was in a bad mood and Cory, who seemed rather tense, was never far from his side. They had been travelling for a while when Benny pulled Kane slightly aside, away from the ears of the others.
“What’s going on with you and Edwina?” he asked, getting straight to the point. “I think you’ve upset her a little, flirting with those woman in the ruins. And I seem to remember that I told you to think before you act.”
“I was just being friendly,” the warrior insisted. “Honestly Benny, I never intended to take it any further.”
“Wouldn’t matter how far you planned to take it,” his teacher shrugged. “Whatever you did, I couldn’t condemn you for it. While I was married, I was a loving husband, but hardly a faithful one. But your actions are not only hurting Edwina, who is in an emotional enough state as it is right now, but I don’t think they’re helping you much either, are they?”
“No, not really,” Kane admitted. “Makes me feel a little less rejected, but it’s not them I want. I just want her…I want things to be how they were before.”
“I can understand how frustrating this is for you,” Benny said gently. “But playing games isn’t going to help. You have to try and talk to Edwina again, make her listen to you.”
“And what do I say? What can I say to her to make her listen?”
“It sounds rather obvious,” the assassin told him, “but have you tried just telling her that you still love her? That could be just what she needs to hear right now. And it’s true, right? This whole gender thing hasn’t changed anything for you?”
“Absolutely not!” Kane replied at once. “The only thing that has changed anything is her attitude. I suppose I should try talking to her again. And this time, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that she listens to me.”
“You do that,” Benny agreed, nodding his cloak-covered head. “It’s a conversation that has been long overdue. And you’ll both feel better for it afterwards.”
***********
As always, the adventurers were greeted by Nalia, who was incredibly pleased to see them. First she hugged Kane, earning herself a glare from Edwina, and then she hugged Cory and gave him a kiss, which made the dwarves laugh and the young assassin blush.
As soon as he could, Kane retired to his room in order to get a few moments peace and quiet. But it wasn’t long before Cory appeared in the doorway, insisting that he needed to talk to his leader. When Kane asked what was the matter, the assassin produced Edwina’s dagger and showed it to the surprised Bhaalspawn.
“It’s Edwina’s,” he explained. “I took it off her last night. She was trying to kill herself, Kane. If I hadn’t been there…”
“She tried to kill herself?” Kane repeated. “Again?”
“From what I could see, she was pretty close to going through with it,” Cory continued. “I told her that I wouldn’t tell you or Benny…but it doesn’t look like she’s going to and I’m worried about her.”
“Thanks Cory.” Kane took the dagger from his young friend and held it for a moment, running his thumb along the blade to test how sharp it was. Very, judging from the way it sliced through his skin, leaving a small trail of blood behind it. “Now this brings back memories,” he muttered under his breath. “You did good telling me. Don’t worry, I’ll take it from here.”
“You won’t be hard on her, will you?” His friend asked. “It was a stupid thing to do, but she’s very upset right now and if you shout at her…”
“I’m not going to shout at her,” the Bhaalspawn promised him. “I’m just going to try and get her to talk to me. I can’t be angry, she isn’t even attempting to try and make the best of her situation and pushing us away doesn’t help, but I have to take a little of the blame. I felt rejected and…I guess I wanted to show her how it felt, but I can see now that my actions didn’t help much.”
“That’s for sure!” Cory hesitated; unsure whether he should tell his leader what Edwina had said and then decided that it couldn’t make things any worse. “Kane, she’s really convinced herself that you don’t love her any more.”
“She’s what?”
“It’s true,” the assassin continued. “That’s why she’s getting all upset. You have to talk to her, you have to tell her it’s not true.”
“She thinks I don’t love her?” Kane repeated. “She can be so foolish sometimes. Very well, I’ll talk to her and put her straight…I’ll make her listen. Thanks Cory. You’ve been a good friend to Edwina, and I am grateful.”
“Just want to help you and her,” Cory shrugged. “Make sure you sort it out. I’m going to go and find Nalia.”
********
Edwina didn’t join the group for their evening meal, which surprised no one. Cory was telling Nalia all about killing Firkraag in great detail, with the dwarves adding bits in, although a brief silence fell over the table when they got to the bit where Yoshimo had died. None of them had been close to him, but he had still been one of them. Benny seemed very quiet, even with Viconia leaning over to whisper things in his ear now and then. Kane took little interest in any of it and he barely touched his food, he was too busy thinking over what his teacher and Cory had said to him. He knew that he needed to talk to Edwina, but he still wasn’t completely sure what he was going to say. He really didn’t want to say anything to make the situation worse.
Finally though, he knew that he couldn’t put it off any longer. Excusing himself, he left the main hall and went up the stairs to Edwina’s room. He knocked briefly on the door and then opened it and walked in without waiting for an answer. Edwina was on the other side of the room, staring out of the window. She didn’t turn round, knowing that there was only one person who would enter her room in that way.
“I don’t want to talk to you right now,” she whispered, so quietly that he could only just hear her. “Please go away.”
“No!” Kane said firmly. “Just listen to me for a minute. What I’ve got to say can’t wait.” He paused for a moment, struggling to gather his thoughts. Edwina stayed where she was and said nothing. “What’s happened to us, Eddie?” he asked finally. “Before all this, we were so close. We trusted each other and now…”
“Things have changed,” the wizard mumbled. “Everything is different now. I already now what you’re going to say, Kane. You’re going to say that you don’t love me any more, aren’t you?”
“No!” the warrior said at once, seeing that what Cory had told him was correct. “No! I know that things haven’t been good between us recently, but I do still love you…”
“You’re just saying that,” Edwina shook her head, still staring out of the window. “Because you think it’s what I want to hear, because you don’t want to upset me. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have been acting like you did with those women. That really upset me.”
“I know that. Cory told me that you tried…I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, I was just angry and frustrated by the way you were acting. I know that you’re finding this difficult, but so am I. I want to help you, but you keep pushing me away and I can’t help but feel rejected. I did try to talk to you, but you wouldn’t listen and that didn’t make things any easier. I just wanted to hurt you like you were hurting me.”
“You certainly managed to do that.”
“It was stupid,” Kane admitted. “Benny is always telling me that I should think before I act and he’s right. I didn’t think and I’m really sorry that I upset you so much.”
“I suppose there is blame on both sides,” Edwina said dully. “I’m sorry too. You did try to talk to me, but I didn’t want to listen. I was trying to deal with my own feelings and I didn’t want to hear what anyone else had to say. And the longer it went on, the harder it was to say anything because I was so sure that you didn’t care any more.”
“We’ve both been stupid,” Kane agreed. “We’ve been too obsessed with our own feelings and that’s why we let this come between us in the first place. All right, it’s a very difficult situation, but we should have been able to trust each other enough to talk about how we felt. And like you said, I did try, Eddie. But you wouldn’t listen to me and that’s why I got so angry. Still at least we’re talking again now and that’s a start.”
“Yes,” the wizard said weakly. “I never meant to hurt you, Kane. I was just confused and afraid and I couldn’t deal with how anyone else felt. Even you.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” he crossed the room until he was standing behind her. “We were both idiots, as usual, we should have done things differently, but we can learn from our mistakes this time. In future, we have to talk to each other about things like this, keeping your feelings hidden doesn’t do anyone any good.”
“You do it often enough.”
“But I do know that it does me no good,” Kane countered. Slowly he slipped his arms around Edwina’s waist and the wizard suddenly went tense.
“Don’t,” she whispered, although she didn’t move. “Please don’t, Kane.”
“Why not?”
“I…just can’t,” Edwina told him. “It’s too strange and…and how can you, I mean…I’m not the man you fell in love with any more. And I’m frightened…that if we do anything, you might remember why you used to like women and you might not want me if I change back.”
“When you change back,” Kane said at once. “Sooner or later, we will find a way.” Although he didn’t show it, he was shocked by what his lover had just said. I had no idea she felt that way…although it certainly explains her behaviour recently. I wish she had told me sooner; I could have easily set her straight. “Eddie…” He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. “Listen to me, I don’t care whether you are male or female. This form may be very different from your old one, but you are still my Edwin inside and that’s all that matters. I couldn’t possibly want anyone else, not after being with you. I love you now and I’ll still love you when we get you changed back. That’s a promise.”
“Really?” She had relaxed a little now, was leaning back against him. “This really doesn’t change anything for you?”
“Turn around,” he commanded. “And look at me.” Edwina hesitated for a second and then did as he asked, allowing herself to study him properly for the first time since she had cast the Nether Scroll. His face looked slightly thinner than she remembered and he looked tired and she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. But when she finally felt able to meet his eyes, he smiled and she saw only love there.
“Honestly,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “None of this changes anything. I love you and I always will, no matter what happens.”
“And I’ll always love you,” Edwina returned Kane’s hug, feeling happier than she had done for days. Now that he was holding her again, she didn’t want him to let go. “Always.”
“But if you ever try and kill yourself again, I’ll kill you myself,” Kane warned her. “Honestly Edwina, are you deliberately trying to drive me to an early grave?” Edwina said nothing and he smiled as he looked down at her, softly running his fingers through her long black hair. “Can I kiss you?” he asked after a moment, uncertain of what her reaction would be. For a moment, there was silence.
“Yes,” she looked up at him and smiled. “You can kiss me.”
A brief expression of surprise flickered across his pale features before he smiled again and his lips met hers. And as they held each other tightly and allowed the kiss to deepen, there was no doubt in their minds that everything would be all right…
Next Part: The morning after for Kane and Edwina…
The Nether Scroll Disaster: Part 10
Started by
Guest_Silver_*
, Jul 18 2003 08:30 PM
3 replies to this topic
#2
Laufey
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Transcendant
Posted 18 July 2003 - 09:05 PM
“What’s going on with you and Edwina?” he asked, getting straight to the point. “I think you’ve upset her a little, flirting with those woman in the ruins. And I seem to remember that I told you to think before you act.”
More than a little...
“No, not really,” Kane admitted. “Makes me feel a little less rejected, but it’s not them I want. I just want her…I want things to be how they were before.”
“I can understand how frustrating this is for you,” Benny said gently. “But playing games isn’t going to help. You have to try and talk to Edwina again, make her listen to you.”
As Benny said, hurting her feelings won't help one bit.
“It’s Edwina’s,” he explained. “I took it off her last night. She was trying to kill herself, Kane. If I hadn’t been there…”
“She tried to kill herself?” Kane repeated. “Again?”
Rini: It's awful, realizing that the person you love is that miserable.
“I’m not going to shout at her,” the Bhaalspawn promised him. “I’m just going to try and get her to talk to me. I can’t be angry, she isn’t even attempting to try and make the best of her situation and pushing us away doesn’t help, but I have to take a little of the blame. I felt rejected and…I guess I wanted to show her how it felt, but I can see now that my actions didn’t help much.”
Kane...Kane...you're not exactly a relationship expert, are you?
Finally though, he knew that he couldn’t put it off any longer. Excusing himself, he left the main hall and went up the stairs to Edwina’s room. He knocked briefly on the door and then opened it and walked in without waiting for an answer. Edwina was on the other side of the room, staring out of the window. She didn’t turn round, knowing that there was only one person who would enter her room in that way.
Aw, she's brooding again.
“You’re just saying that,” Edwina shook her head, still staring out of the window. “Because you think it’s what I want to hear, because you don’t want to upset me. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have been acting like you did with those women. That really upset me.”
“It doesn’t matter now,” he crossed the room until he was standing behind her. “We were both idiots, as usual, we should have done things differently, but we can learn from our mistakes this time. In future, we have to talk to each other about things like this, keeping your feelings hidden doesn’t do anyone any good.”
Very true.
“I…just can’t,” Edwina told him. “It’s too strange and…and how can you, I mean…I’m not the man you fell in love with any more. And I’m frightened…that if we do anything, you might remember why you used to like women and you might not want me if I change back.”
Rini: Aw...she's got the same hangup as with me.
Kane, you have to make her understand that it isn't so.“When you change back,” Kane said at once. “Sooner or later, we will find a way.” Although he didn’t show it, he was shocked by what his lover had just said. I had no idea she felt that way…although it certainly explains her behaviour recently. I wish she had told me sooner; I could have easily set her straight. “Eddie…” He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. “Listen to me, I don’t care whether you are male or female. This form may be very different from your old one, but you are still my Edwin inside and that’s all that matters. I couldn’t possibly want anyone else, not after being with you. I love you now and I’ll still love you when we get you changed back. That’s a promise.”
Awww...now that was very sweet.
“Honestly,” he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “None of this changes anything. I love you and I always will, no matter what happens.”
“And I’ll always love you,” Edwina returned Kane’s hug, feeling happier than she had done for days. Now that he was holding her again, she didn’t want him to let go. “Always.”
*grins with delight*
“But if you ever try and kill yourself again, I’ll kill you myself,” Kane warned her. “Honestly Edwina, are you deliberately trying to drive me to an early grave?” Edwina said nothing and he smiled as he looked down at her, softly running his fingers through her long black hair. “Can I kiss you?” he asked after a moment, uncertain of what her reaction would be. For a moment, there was silence.
“Yes,” she looked up at him and smiled. “You can kiss me.”
A brief expression of surprise flickered across his pale features before he smiled again and his lips met hers. And as they held each other tightly and allowed the kiss to deepen, there was no doubt in their minds that everything would be all right…
Lovely mush!
Next Part: The morning after for Kane and Edwina…
Funny coincidence, morning after is what my next chapter will be about too.
Rogues do it from behind.
#3
Guest_Bjorn_*
Guest_Bjorn_*
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Posted 18 July 2003 - 10:20 PM
Little was said the next morning, as Kane’s party packed up their equipment and started moving again. It was obvious that Edwina was in a bad mood and Cory, who seemed rather tense, was never far from his side. They had been travelling for a while when Benny pulled Kane slightly aside, away from the ears of the others.
shouldn't it be 'her side'?
“What’s going on with you and Edwina?” he asked, getting straight to the point. “I think you’ve upset her a little, flirting with those woman in the ruins. And I seem to remember that I told you to think before you act.”
And yet again benny has to sort everything out. The poor guy has a tough time of it in this party.
“And what do I say? What can I say to her to make her listen?”
That's probably something you need to figure out for yourself, kane.
“You do that,” Benny agreed, nodding his cloak-covered head. “It’s a conversation that has been long overdue. And you’ll both feel better for it afterwards.”
Either that or they'll have killed each other...
***********
As always, the adventurers were greeted by Nalia, who was incredibly pleased to see them. First she hugged Kane, earning herself a glare from Edwina, and then she hugged Cory and gave him a kiss, which made the dwarves laugh and the young assassin blush.
Aww
.As soon as he could, Kane retired to his room in order to get a few moments peace and quiet. But it wasn’t long before Cory appeared in the doorway, insisting that he needed to talk to his leader. When Kane asked what was the matter, the assassin produced Edwina’s dagger and showed it to the surprised Bhaalspawn.
Wow, Cory's torn himself away from Nalia? I guess this is a pretty important issue though.
“I’m not going to shout at her,” the Bhaalspawn promised him. “I’m just going to try and get her to talk to me. I can’t be angry, she isn’t even attempting to try and make the best of her situation and pushing us away doesn’t help, but I have to take a little of the blame. I felt rejected and…I guess I wanted to show her how it felt, but I can see now that my actions didn’t help much.”
This sounds promisingly like he's got over being stupid and irrational about the whole thing. Now all we need is for edwina to do the same...
“We’ve both been stupid,” Kane agreed. “We’ve been too obsessed with our own feelings and that’s why we let this come between us in the first place. All right, it’s a very difficult situation, but we should have been able to trust each other enough to talk about how we felt. And like you said, I did try, Eddie. But you wouldn’t listen to me and that’s why I got so angry. Still at least we’re talking again now and that’s a start.”
Yep
.“I…just can’t,” Edwina told him. “It’s too strange and…and how can you, I mean…I’m not the man you fell in love with any more. And I’m frightened…that if we do anything, you might remember why you used to like women and you might not want me if I change back.”
Aw, I'm sure that won't happen.A brief expression of surprise flickered across his pale features before he smiled again and his lips met hers. And as they held each other tightly and allowed the kiss to deepen, there was no doubt in their minds that everything would be all right…
Awww!
Great chapter
#4
Guest_Theodur_*
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Posted 19 July 2003 - 07:55 AM
“It sounds rather obvious,” the assassin told him, “but have you tried just telling her that you still love her? That could be just what she needs to hear right now. And it’s true, right? This whole gender thing hasn’t changed anything for you?”
Funny that Kane didn't think of telling her that, himself... I guess he's just not good in anticipating of what others expect him to say...
“You do that,” Benny agreed, nodding his cloak-covered head. “It’s a conversation that has been long overdue. And you’ll both feel better for it afterwards.”
You would hope so... but if Kane goes on about how Edwina's stinky attitude has only driven him away, then there isn't a lot to hope for...
“I’m not going to shout at her,” the Bhaalspawn promised him. “I’m just going to try and get her to talk to me. I can’t be angry, she isn’t even attempting to try and make the best of her situation and pushing us away doesn’t help, but I have to take a little of the blame. I felt rejected and…I guess I wanted to show her how it felt, but I can see now that my actions didn’t help much.”
Err. A little blame? Didn't help much? Has Kane thought how he would have felt if Edwina had managed to kill herself? He really needs to say something right and to do it quickly...
“She thinks I don’t love her?” Kane repeated. “She can be so foolish sometimes. Very well, I’ll talk to her and put her straight…I’ll make her listen. Thanks Cory. You’ve been a good friend to Edwina, and I am grateful.”
They have both been very foolish, not only Edwina. But I guess the situation is so freaky that its hard to think straight...
********
Edwina didn’t join the group for their evening meal, which surprised no one. Cory was telling Nalia all about killing Firkraag in great detail, with the dwarves adding bits in, although a brief silence fell over the table when they got to the bit where Yoshimo had died. None of them had been close to him, but he had still been one of them. Benny seemed very quiet, even with Viconia leaning over to whisper things in his ear now and then. Kane took little interest in any of it and he barely touched his food, he was too busy thinking over what his teacher and Cory had said to him. He knew that he needed to talk to Edwina, but he still wasn’t completely sure what he was going to say. He really didn’t want to say anything to make the situation worse.
It can't really get much worse than it is, Kane.
“Things have changed,” the wizard mumbled. “Everything is different now. I already now what you’re going to say, Kane. You’re going to say that you don’t love me any more, aren’t you?”
“You’re just saying that,” Edwina shook her head, still staring out of the window. “Because you think it’s what I want to hear, because you don’t want to upset me. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have been acting like you did with those women. That really upset me.”
Yep, I'm not surprised. Bad, bad Kane...
“It was stupid,” Kane admitted. “Benny is always telling me that I should think before I act and he’s right. I didn’t think and I’m really sorry that I upset you so much.”
Well, that wasn't so hard, now was it Kane?
“We’ve both been stupid,” Kane agreed. “We’ve been too obsessed with our own feelings and that’s why we let this come between us in the first place. All right, it’s a very difficult situation, but we should have been able to trust each other enough to talk about how we felt. And like you said, I did try, Eddie. But you wouldn’t listen to me and that’s why I got so angry. Still at least we’re talking again now and that’s a start.”
Yep, good that they have settled this...
“I…just can’t,” Edwina told him. “It’s too strange and…and how can you, I mean…I’m not the man you fell in love with any more. And I’m frightened…that if we do anything, you might remember why you used to like women and you might not want me if I change back.”
Well, but if you don't change back? I mean, Kane seems the kind of guy that probably won't bother with a relationship if there was no element of physical love between the two.
“Turn around,” he commanded. “And look at me.” Edwina hesitated for a second and then did as he asked, allowing herself to study him properly for the first time since she had cast the Nether Scroll. His face looked slightly thinner than she remembered and he looked tired and she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. But when she finally felt able to meet his eyes, he smiled and she saw only love there.
Awww...
A brief expression of surprise flickered across his pale features before he smiled again and his lips met hers. And as they held each other tightly and allowed the kiss to deepen, there was no doubt in their minds that everything would be all right…
Next Part: The morning after for Kane and Edwina…
Oh, very Awww filled ending... hope that nobody is feeling dissapointed when the morning comes...
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