Tide of Destiny - 133

At last, a chapter which should make many of you very, very happy, as I'm sure you can all tell from the title. Now, this chapter contains a fairly... bizarre conversation. I don't know WHAT I was drinking when I wrote it, but it somehow fits. Still weird. Anyhoo...


Chapter 133: Exit Haer’Dalis!

Haer’Dalis couldn’t believe his bad luck. It was as if all the fates were conspiring against him, aspiring to bring him down from whichever height he struggled towards, and cast him lower than he had started. There were carrots on sticks being waved around in front of him, out of reach and taunting him to trip over his own feet. Well, that wouldn’t happen to this bard. Not again.

The afternoon had been spent in quiet contemplation for all. Haer’Dalis had retired to his room to continue with his ballads and plays, utterly unconcerned for the coming battle, and as evening hit the city of Athkatla, drifted out a little to see what was going on. The news was not particularly encouraging.

Aerie was leaving. For all of his hard work, for all of his courting, his words, his eloquence, she was leaving after the battle. She had blushed much when he challenged her, but all she had said was that she wanted to see the world and that the party wasn’t right for her. The wingless Avariel had also completely respond the subtle hints he had placed – that if she wanted a companion, he would be more than glad to accompany her. Either they had gone unnoticed, or she had seen them but not picked them up. Whichever it was, it was fairly clear that his dalliance with this fair beauty was… very over.

He could have lived with that. She had provided entertainment, for a time – her soft and innocent manner, wrapped around a distinctly more solid core which wasn’t going to let him in. A girl of layers was she, and although Haer’Dalis wished he had more time to… unwrap them, he had had a taste, and thus would not be greedy once she had left. Besides, it wasn’t as if he had been left completely alone.

There had still been Imoen. Although Anomen had been lingering more than usual, lurking and laying claim a little more aggressively than before – which was, in itself, an interesting change to view – Haer’Dalis had been pretty convinced that he still held weight. He was, after all, her rock in unsteady times, the smile in the sadness, the light in the dark. And even if they had drifted, even if she had seen him turn his attentions to Aerie, Haer’Dalis thought himself skilled enough at his work to recover from such a dip.

So Haer’Dalis had headed for the garden, ignoring Reynald and Anomen – engaged as they were in a game of chess – with such an air that they knew he was ignoring them, and found Imoen sitting thoughtfully by the fountain. Somehow, from just looking at her, and her posture, and they unenthusiastic way she had glanced at him upon his arrival, he had realised that the heights were now unattainable. And now found himself stuck in a position where he would have to salvage what he could and withdraw gracefully.

He took a deep breath. “You seem lost in thought, my wildflower,” Haer’Dalis murmured as he walked slowly over to the fountain, perching on the edge and looking down at her solemnly. “What ails you? Your brow is heavy with worries of our battle tomorrow?”

Imoen looked up at him slowly, not broken out of her pensive mood by his arrival or his words. “No, it’s not that. I’m… I’m not worried about the fight tomorrow.” She paused, biting her lip. “I suppose I probably should. I mean, we are hurtling into the den of a vampire and her minions… a vampire who has my soul… has imprisoned us before… and probably knows that we’re coming.” She raised her eyebrows. “Should I be worried?”

“No, perhaps not,” Haer’Dalis mused. “After all, all creatures of darkness such as Bodhi are vanquished in the end. Light prevails, evil falls… ‘tis the way of things,” he sighed, feeling his enthusiasm for the situation waning.

Imoen frowned slightly. “Are you all right? That doesn’t sound like your normal blurb at all,” she declared, moving to perch on the back of the bench she was seated on and observe him in that unendingly chirpy way of hers.

“Well, I am trying to get this tale written down like so many others bards have recorded in the past. And tales have certain… rules. Certain guaranteed endings, certain assumptions we can make as to what will happen,” Haer’Dalis told her. Though it seems as if assumptions, indeed, are a little dangerous.

Imoen snorted quietly. “Yeah, Haer’Dalis. Because life is a fairy tale and reality or freedom of choice has nothing to do with it.”

He shrugged. “In a way. Life is a stage, and we are but the actors running through the parts which have been already written for us. Some things we cannot change. Some things are guaranteed in this life, in this play. And they’re not always the things we expect.”

She looked at him, obviously seeing the difference in his mood. “What’s up with you?”

Haer’Dalis sighed, and reached out to grab her hand before she could pull back. Time to play the final scene with grace and dignity. “My wildflower… you know indeed what I feel for you; know how my heart beats for you and my affections are indeed yours?”

Imoen pulled her hand back, looking sad but resolute. “No… I don’t. And it doesn’t and they aren’t.” She paused, taking a deep breath and looking as if this was something she had given a large amount of thought. “I may have been… vulnerable. I may still be vulnerable. And that may have blinded me a little in the past. But I am not, nor ever have been, stupid.”

Haer’Dalis blinked, assuming an innocent expression. “I never assumed you were, my wildflower.”

“Well, you did,” she said, surprisingly in a voice without venom – it was as if she had reached a conclusion and now was intent on seeing that through, and emotion had stopped having anything to do with it. “I’m not foolish enough to ignore the way you flirted with Aerie, and it’s… Gods, I’m not jealous…” She paused and twisted to look at him straight on. “I know that you really don’t feel anything for Aerie.” There was another pause. “Or me.”

Haer’Dalis automatically looked shocked, and stood slowly. “My wildflower, you doubt me? How can you question what is in this heart?” He stopped for a second, then raised his hand tentatively. “And now it’s raining,” he mumbled bitterly. “Do even the elements conspire against me?”

“Things don’t conspire against you, Haer’Dalis; you conspire against them and they just react,” Imoen elaborated, also standing, her voice still oddly devoid of anger or sadness, just resolution. “I can’t blame you, somehow. This is what you do, who you are. You don’t do any of it out of malice at all, which makes you hard to understand… and to blame.”

“My wildflower, I assure you that nothing I have done has been with the intention of harming you!” Haer’Dalis insisted, backing off a little towards the door back into the estate as the rain started to come down harder.

“I know,” she said. “It’s just your nature. It’s just what you do.” Imoen frowned, then also scurried towards shelter. “But I am going to ask you to not try talking to me like that again. If for nothing else, then to stop you from wasting your time, as you won’t be successful.”

Haer’Dalis cocked his head to one side as he regarded her pensively. “You are an interesting creature, my wildflower. Most women would have cursed me and possibly thrown a few things at me as well, but you… accept the way of things.” He smirked a little. “You would make an excellent Doomguard.” He paused, sighing slightly. “Though I understand you. Most other women would be angry, believing that I had led them on, lied to them and built up their feelings. But then… I suppose I never quite had your affections, did I?”

Imoen glanced down at the floor for a long moment, obviously thinking. “I don’t know. You did help me. When I first lost my soul, when I was alone and everything was dark. When I found myself sliding into… Gods know what. You did help me then. And whatever your reasons were, I’m grateful for that. But I think there was… not much more than that. You helped me, and I started to rely on you.”

Haer’Dalis nodded slowly. “I shall take that as something, at least.” He glanced up, eyeing the greying skies as they dropped yet more rain. “I should leave the party,” he said at last. “Harrian does not need me tomorrow at the battle, and he will probably be grateful if I leave. I have sown enough discord for one place, and the planes hold many, many more treasures to explore.” He smirked slightly.

“You don’t have to leave,” Imoen said hurriedly, almost a little too hurriedly.

“Stay, should I, my wildflower?” Haer’Dalis laughed. “Yon knight is a hair’s breadth from crushing my skull in a fit of anger. No, I have played my part here, and there are more to come.” He nodded. “I shall go pack. You may tell Harrian… whatever you wish; I do not think it wise to interrupt him at this moment…”

“No, I don’t think he’d appreciate it,” Imoen replied slowly.

He cheerfully reached out to take her hand, and raised it to his lips lightly. For once, this was a fairly sincere gesture, and he looked actually rueful as he let it go. “Fare thee well, my wildflower. I bid you good fortune on the morrow… and hope that your endeavours to retrieve your soul will go successfully.”

“Thank you,” Imoen said quietly, smiling an honest smile at him.

They froze, however, as the door back to the estate creaked, and they whirled around to see Anomen standing there. From the looks of things, he had been there for a few seconds at least, and wore an expression of both shock and confusion. “Why… retrieve… your soul?” he asked, in the suspicious voice who has heard something which makes a lot of sense they didn’t want to hear.

Haer’Dalis blinked, then stepped back. “Ah… I think… this might be my cue to leave,” he mumbled, stepping forwards. For once, Anomen co-operated with his intentions and sidestepped to let him hurry back into the estate quickly, away from whatever explosions would take place in the garden.

Aerie was leaving. For all of his hard work, for all of his courting, his words, his eloquence, she was leaving after the battle. She had blushed much when he challenged her, but all she had said was that she wanted to see the world and that the party wasn’t right for her. The wingless Avariel had also completely respond the subtle hints he had placed – that if she wanted a companion, he would be more than glad to accompany her. Either they had gone unnoticed, or she had seen them but not picked them up. Whichever it was, it was fairly clear that his dalliance with this fair beauty was… very over.

Onyx: HA!

He could have lived with that. She had provided entertainment, for a time – her soft and innocent manner, wrapped around a distinctly more solid core which wasn’t going to let him in. A girl of layers was she, and although Haer’Dalis wished he had more time to… unwrap them, he had had a taste, and thus would not be greedy once she had left. Besides, it wasn’t as if he had been left completely alone.

Onyx: That's RIGHT! (At least he can appreciate her....sort of)

So Haer’Dalis had headed for the garden, ignoring Reynald and Anomen – engaged as they were in a game of chess – with such an air that they knew he was ignoring them, and found Imoen sitting thoughtfully by the fountain. Somehow, from just looking at her, and her posture, and they unenthusiastic way she had glanced at him upon his arrival, he had realised that the heights were now unattainable. And now found himself stuck in a position where he would have to salvage what he could and withdraw gracefully.

Onyx: That's right! Stay away from Aerie AND my sister!

Alternate Aerie: Dear, this is another-

Onyx: Ah....

“No, perhaps not,” Haer’Dalis mused. “After all, all creatures of darkness such as Bodhi are vanquished in the end. Light prevails, evil falls… ‘tis the way of things,” he sighed, feeling his enthusiasm for the situation waning.

Onyx: LIAR!!! You are a DOOMGUARD! You don't believe that! You're just trying to get in her pants you bastard!!!!

Aerie: Dear....

“Well, I am trying to get this tale written down like so many others bards have recorded in the past. And tales have certain… rules. Certain guaranteed endings, certain assumptions we can make as to what will happen,” Haer’Dalis told her. Though it seems as if assumptions, indeed, are a little dangerous.

hmmmm nice!

Imoen snorted quietly. “Yeah, Haer’Dalis. Because life is a fairy tale and reality or freedom of choice has nothing to do with it.”

NICE!!!

Haer’Dalis sighed, and reached out to grab her hand before she could pull back. Time to play the final scene with grace and dignity. “My wildflower… you know indeed what I feel for you; know how my heart beats for you and my affections are indeed yours?”

When you know you're about to be separated from someone, it's a great booster of courage. "May as well ask her."

Imoen pulled her hand back, looking sad but resolute. “No… I don’t. And it doesn’t and they aren’t.” She paused, taking a deep breath and looking as if this was something she had given a large amount of thought. “I may have been… vulnerable. I may still be vulnerable. And that may have blinded me a little in the past. But I am not, nor ever have been, stupid.”

Onyx: HA! Go sis!!!

Haer’Dalis blinked, assuming an innocent expression. “I never assumed you were, my wildflower.”

“Well, you did,” she said, surprisingly in a voice without venom – it was as if she had reached a conclusion and now was intent on seeing that through, and emotion had stopped having anything to do with it. “I’m not foolish enough to ignore the way you flirted with Aerie, and it’s… Gods, I’m not jealous…” She paused and twisted to look at him straight on. “I know that you really don’t feel anything for Aerie.” There was another pause. “Or me.”

HAHAHA!!

“Things don’t conspire against you, Haer’Dalis; you conspire against them and they just react,” Imoen elaborated, also standing, her voice still oddly devoid of anger or sadness, just resolution. “I can’t blame you, somehow. This is what you do, who you are. You don’t do any of it out of malice at all, which makes you hard to understand… and to blame.”

Oh, Slide! I LOVE this! This is how I see Haer. No malice...just....he does stuff...

They froze, however, as the door back to the estate creaked, and they whirled around to see Anomen standing there. From the looks of things, he had been there for a few seconds at least, and wore an expression of both shock and confusion. “Why… retrieve… your soul?” he asked, in the suspicious voice who has heard something which makes a lot of sense they didn’t want to hear.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haer’Dalis blinked, then stepped back. “Ah… I think… this might be my cue to leave,” he mumbled, stepping forwards. For once, Anomen co-operated with his intentions and sidestepped to let him hurry back into the estate quickly, away from whatever explosions would take place in the garden.

nice chapter!!!!! Alas, Haer'Dalis, I knew him well...

Onyx: HA!

Haer'Dalis may do many things, but I always figured he'd know when he was beaten.

Onyx: That's RIGHT! (At least he can appreciate her....sort of)

Oh, he does! In some ways, his attentions are... complimentary. He finds her interesting.

Onyx: That's right! Stay away from Aerie AND my sister!

Alternate Aerie: Dear, this is another-

Onyx: Ah....

Harrian: Don't worry, don't worry, I'm on it. Bloody bard's leaving anyway.

Onyx: LIAR!!! You are a DOOMGUARD! You don't believe that! You're just trying to get in her pants you bastard!!!!

Aerie: Dear....

Harrian: Right, right, knock him out before he busts a vein. I CAN control my own reality, you know! Everyone listens to us! *coughs*

hmmmm nice!

I think Haer'Dalis was the source of all my writing prowess.

NICE!!!

This girl isn't as naive as she once was.

When you know you're about to be separated from someone, it's a great booster of courage. "May as well ask her."

Yeah, it's a "Oh, to hell with it all" sort of feeling.

Onyx: HA! Go sis!!!

Harrian: Well, maybe my intervention won't be necessary...

HAHAHA!!

She DOES understand him.

Oh, Slide! I LOVE this! This is how I see Haer. No malice...just....he does stuff...

*bows* I know. That's why I can't hate him. It's just his nature.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dah dah DUM...

nice chapter!!!!! Alas, Haer'Dalis, I knew him well...

Well, he's not dead, so it may not be the end (and hell, this is fantasy, so even if he WAS dead...)

Cheers!

Chapter 133: Exit Haer’Dalis!

Heh. But with him and Aerie leaving... there will be no one left to hate! ARGH! You have got to keep the love and hate in... balance...

Aerie was leaving. For all of his hard work, for all of his courting, his words, his eloquence, she was leaving after the battle. She had blushed much when he challenged her, but all she had said was that she wanted to see the world and that the party wasn’t right for her. The wingless Avariel had also completely respond the subtle hints he had placed – that if she wanted a companion, he would be more than glad to accompany her. Either they had gone unnoticed, or she had seen them but not picked them up. Whichever it was, it was fairly clear that his dalliance with this fair beauty was… very over.

No kidding? Your Aerie actually has taste??? I almost... agggh... *can't say THAT word*... well, suffice to say that I don't 'actively dislike her'

He could have lived with that. She had provided entertainment, for a time – her soft and innocent manner, wrapped around a distinctly more solid core which wasn’t going to let him in. A girl of layers was she, and although Haer’Dalis wished he had more time to… unwrap them, he had had a taste, and thus would not be greedy once she had left. Besides, it wasn’t as if he had been left completely alone.

Eh, stop being so 'poetic'... admit that you are just darn annoyed that you didn't get to shag her...

There had still been Imoen. Although Anomen had been lingering more than usual, lurking and laying claim a little more aggressively than before – which was, in itself, an interesting change to view – Haer’Dalis had been pretty convinced that he still held weight. He was, after all, her rock in unsteady times, the smile in the sadness, the light in the dark. And even if they had drifted, even if she had seen him turn his attentions to Aerie, Haer’Dalis thought himself skilled enough at his work to recover from such a dip.

Hehe... he doesn't quite realize just how insignificant he is to this party...

Imoen snorted quietly. “Yeah, Haer’Dalis. Because life is a fairy tale and reality or freedom of choice has nothing to do with it.”

He shrugged. “In a way. Life is a stage, and we are but the actors running through the parts which have been already written for us. Some things we cannot change. Some things are guaranteed in this life, in this play. And they’re not always the things we expect.”

Eh... his phylosophy disgusts me... nothing is pre-determined in this life, otherwise I could just lay the whole day in bed waiting for the destiny to find me. Yuck, what a horrible way of thinking - and it also excludes the responsibility for his actions too... 'it was meant to happen', yuck.

Imoen pulled her hand back, looking sad but resolute. “No… I don’t. And it doesn’t and they aren’t.” She paused, taking a deep breath and looking as if this was something she had given a large amount of thought. “I may have been… vulnerable. I may still be vulnerable. And that may have blinded me a little in the past. But I am not, nor ever have been, stupid.”

Yay! Imoen has style and class, unlike you Haer!

“Things don’t conspire against you, Haer’Dalis; you conspire against them and they just react,” Imoen elaborated, also standing, her voice still oddly devoid of anger or sadness, just resolution. “I can’t blame you, somehow. This is what you do, who you are. You don’t do any of it out of malice at all, which makes you hard to understand… and to blame.”

Ah, but is the fact that he does the icky and hurtful things to the feelings of others without meaning it to be malicious, really important? His reasons may be important, but they can't act as justification.

Haer’Dalis nodded slowly. “I shall take that as something, at least.” He glanced up, eyeing the greying skies as they dropped yet more rain. “I should leave the party,” he said at last. “Harrian does not need me tomorrow at the battle, and he will probably be grateful if I leave. I have sown enough discord for one place, and the planes hold many, many more treasures to explore.” He smirked slightly.

What! Letting him go with his tongue still intact? Cut it off, quickly or do you want him to sing ballads about you, Harrian?

“Stay, should I, my wildflower?” Haer’Dalis laughed. “Yon knight is a hair’s breadth from crushing my skull in a fit of anger. No, I have played my part here, and there are more to come.” He nodded. “I shall go pack. You may tell Harrian… whatever you wish; I do not think it wise to interrupt him at this moment…”

“No, I don’t think he’d appreciate it,” Imoen replied slowly.

Ah, they are at it again... sweet!

They froze, however, as the door back to the estate creaked, and they whirled around to see Anomen standing there. From the looks of things, he had been there for a few seconds at least, and wore an expression of both shock and confusion. “Why… retrieve… your soul?” he asked, in the suspicious voice who has heard something which makes a lot of sense they didn’t want to hear.

Ooops... I think that it's time for a serious Immy-Ano talk...

Well, I just went all the way through commenting and then when I pressed submit something went wrong and I lost the whole thing. So here's a shortened version:

Hooray for haer leaving, you wrote him extremely well but unfortunately that just made me hate him all the more . And shame on Haer for not staying to help Immy get her soul back - it's the least he could do given how often he's told her he cares about her and stuff.

Well done Immy for seeing through him, although I'm not sure I agree with her on the 'can't really blame Haer because it's just his nature' thing .

And hopefully Ano will be so glad about Haer leaving that he won't get too angry with Immy for not telling him stuff.

Anyway, great chapter. Will we be seeing Haer again, or is he gone for good?

[quote]
Haer’Dalis couldn’t believe his bad luck. It was as if all the fates were conspiring against him, aspiring to bring him down from whichever height he struggled towards, and cast him lower than he had started. There were carrots on sticks being waved around in front of him, out of reach and taunting him to trip over his own feet. Well, that wouldn’t happen to this bard. Not again.
[/quote]

Nya nya!

[quote]
There had still been Imoen. Although Anomen had been lingering more than usual, lurking and laying claim a little more aggressively than before – which was, in itself, an interesting change to view – Haer’Dalis had been pretty convinced that he still held weight. He was, after all, her rock in unsteady times, the smile in the sadness, the light in the dark. And even if they had drifted, even if she had seen him turn his attentions to Aerie, Haer’Dalis thought himself skilled enough at his work to recover from such a dip.
[/quote]

He has high thoughts of himself.

[quote]
So Haer’Dalis had headed for the garden, ignoring Reynald and Anomen – engaged as they were in a game of chess – with such an air that they knew he was ignoring them, and found Imoen sitting thoughtfully by the fountain. Somehow, from just looking at her, and her posture, and they unenthusiastic way she had glanced at him upon his arrival, he had realised that the heights were now unattainable. And now found himself stuck in a position where he would have to salvage what he could and withdraw gracefully.
[/quote]

Time for a little ass kissing.

[quote]
Imoen frowned slightly. “Are you all right? That doesn’t sound like your normal blurb at all,” she declared, moving to perch on the back of the bench she was seated on and observe him in that unendingly chirpy way of hers.
[/quote]

All words from him are calculated, especially those that sounds like they are not.

[quote]
He shrugged. “In a way. Life is a stage, and we are but the actors running through the parts which have been already written for us. Some things we cannot change. Some things are guaranteed in this life, in this play. And they’re not always the things we expect.”
[/quote]

pointing out the obvious.

[quote]
Haer’Dalis sighed, and reached out to grab her hand before she could pull back. Time to play the final scene with grace and dignity. “My wildflower… you know indeed what I feel for you; know how my heart beats for you and my affections are indeed yours?”
[/quote]

She's not fooled by that, is she?

[quote]
Imoen pulled her hand back, looking sad but resolute. “No… I don’t. And it doesn’t and they aren’t.” She paused, taking a deep breath and looking as if this was something she had given a large amount of thought. “I may have been… vulnerable. I may still be vulnerable. And that may have blinded me a little in the past. But I am not, nor ever have been, stupid.”
[/quote]

GO IMOEN!

[quote]
Haer’Dalis automatically looked shocked, and stood slowly.

He's really digging his own grave now.

[quote]
“Things don’t conspire against you, Haer’Dalis; you conspire against them and they just react,” Imoen elaborated, also standing, her voice still oddly devoid of anger or sadness, just resolution. “I can’t blame you, somehow. This is what you do, who you are. You don’t do any of it out of malice at all, which makes you hard to understand… and to blame.”
[/quote]

It's proably his stupid "doomguard" philosophy.

[quote]
Haer’Dalis cocked his head to one side as he regarded her pensively. “You are an interesting creature, my wildflower. Most women would have cursed me and possibly thrown a few things at me as well, but you… accept the way of things.”

I can tell that this is not his first time.

[quote]
Haer’Dalis blinked, then stepped back. “Ah… I think… this might be my cue to leave,” he mumbled, stepping forwards. For once, Anomen co-operated with his intentions and sidestepped to let him hurry back into the estate quickly, away from whatever explosions would take place in the garden.[/quote]

Anomen didn't know?

Hunter

Good chapter...I hate Haer'Dalis. Glad he's leaving