The Candle

Hi...It is a cold night, and I lit a candle. I am tired of dyeing and my knees are hurting...but...but you know all about it, do not you? I...I cannot talk very well, the gods did not give...give me more than a few thousands of words, and they were not quite...quite generous. But I will try to tell you a story...about a girl on a cold night just like that.

The thick candle was still burning, though by now the wax formed an intricate mound with a small crater harboring the flickering light. My lips were trembling. I pitied...the light, which looked so feeble and unfortunate now, and so insignificant compare to the gray fingers of dawn pushing their way through the shutters.

It became apparent to me that the last night was equally feeble, insignificant and unfortunate in the face of the new dawn. A lump on the bed, my bed, was a man concealed by the dump sheets. The Five Flagons maids make little attempt to battle the moisture ever present in the air of of Athkatla.

I am thinking of sheets…Am I still a silly girl? Am I a woman?

I looked in the mirror again, and again I found no changes in myself, even the dark shadows about my eyes did not deepen. The rings were fitting too freely on my nervous fingers, but that was all.

A distant burst of laughter came from below and I recognized Helg’s voice, even if it was much hoarser than usual, used up during the long night of performing, drinking and singing.


What is it? Oh, my wooden harp?
Is it a hint? Yes, very sharp.
I’ll humor you, but I will need
Another mug of strongest mead

Before I sing you of my past
My friends and our crazy path…
Well, I am ready now, maid
No, not your bodice; that can wait.

“He will be in no shape to travel today,” I thought, but then I remembered that Helg was not a normal human…

A bastrad of divine sire and a northwoman, the scald stood almost seven feet tall, and was seemingly tireless. If anything, a night of merriment after the success of his own play would make him to rush off recklessly in the search of new adventures and new songs with double or triple eagerness. Helg is half-mad, but that very madness, that insatiable passion for new places and new people, that unstoppable readiness to put his sword, mind and body to whatever he considers valorous, makes men fight, feast and die at his word and women…

I doubt that any who meet him did not imagine her own reflection in those grey eyes of his. Even severe woman like Jaheira, and recently widowed at that, mooned after Helg the Scald. Korgan once said that the street women are like to offer “the pup” money. The dwarf bestowed many other comments on the scald, but they are too indecent and cruel to recall. Helg laughed all the insults away though, and if Korgan was not charmed, he was at least as loyal to Helg as can be expected of the one such as him.

Helg overshadows everyone…

This is the true reason for this ill-fortunate night.

Not love. No. Alas.

Haer’Dalis never said anything, but I knew by chanced sad remarks that the tiefling missed the part he was to play once and the playhouse, which belonged to Raelis once. Helg took the matters firmly in his hands and as usual had done every thing possible and impossible to guarantee the success of the venture. Even tonight, when the leading actor faltered, Helg immediately took his place, which did not only destroyed, but enhanced the play, as the scald’s charisma and authority united the actors and buried their petty squabbles.

It was the right decision…yet for a second I hoped that Helg would give the part to Haer’Dalis. When it did not happen it was all I could do not to cry, watching the tiefling to pat Helg’s shoulder and ask if he should purchase the tickets for the rest of them or if they will be allowed in for free. Helg laughed and announced that we are to get the seats of honor and ran off.

I sat by Haer’Dalis' side, watching a woman’s and a man’s heart to bleed at the stage…and my fingers inevitably found his. Gratefully, his warm palm closed and he kept squeezing it gently every time I whipped my eyes with a tissue. I knew the end of the play, and I cried in advance, cried for the futility of Karenina’s efforts, and for the mage’s heart that would not freeze even if he would be shut for centuries by the statue of his beloved.

While the play enticed me, Haer’Dalis on the opposite seemed to lose all interest. He pinched the tip of my ear. The odd sensation shook my body and I gasped for air. The play did not matter, not anymore. Haer’Dalis pushed his arm between the back of the chair and my back, and it wrapped around my waist. He pulled closer closer, breathless, and gave me a slightest peck on the neck. I was embarrassed, yet I realized that no one was mad enough to get distracted from the play by a couple of lovers.

Lovers…Haer’Dalis is always nice to me, but…

The sparkle in the tiefling eyes was purely fiendish now, not diluted a single bit by whatever other blood he had. The soft whisper touched my ear: “What do ye say my dove? Should we fly away and make a happy tale, instead of watching a sad one?”

I hesitated for a moment, but then I thought: “How would he feel if I shall reject him tonight?” The answer disturbed me and made my heart to out to him.

Pity made our bed that night, pity lit up the candles, pity made my clothes into a neat pile on the floor, pity made my lips to open to a kiss. And then pity left.

What was it that made me moan as Haer'Dalis touched me, what was it that made me laugh and cry tonight?

Not pity. No. Alas.

The memories made me blush, but I had not enough time for blushing. A sudden loud knock came at the door. I rushed towards it, afraid that whoever knocked might wake Haer’Dalis. I was not ready to face him.

Not yet. Please, not yet

The door opened with a crack, and I saw Helg, all dressed, a chain mail under leather jacket, a bow’s staff in his hand. His face and hair dripped with water, and he gave me a wide smile: “Wake up, you, sleepy-head.”

Then he threw irritably the strands of thick blond hair that fell into his eyes and said uncomfortably: “Aerie, I am sorry…I keep forgetting that there is a sweet girl like you in the company. I should have seen to you being set for the night before rushing off the party. Or at least I should have checked up on you…there was plenty of drunkards and odd balls about last night with the play and all…”

I felt my eyes widening, as I imagined Helg checking up on me right in the middle of …well, whatever it was that happened last night. I fought for breath.

“That’s…that’s alright…I…I was fine…” I managed weakly, clutching to the door frame. “And safe…” I added after a pause. That almost made me giggle nervously. A man with a tail and hooves in my bed…safe indeed.

Helg sighed with relief and cupped my face with his hand: “You look pale. I hope we did not make too much noise and kept you awake..."

“N-no…” I said...or rather wispered, but I was pretty sure that the noise coming from my own room was enough to drown out the party for the most part of the night.

“Did you like the play?” He asked oblivious. I nodded, thinking that the least I talk, the least is the chance that I’d say something out of place. I did not want Helg to know about Haer’Dalis. I will have to figure out why, when I’ll get some time alone with myself.

“Well,” Helg said, letting me go at last, “my dear Lady, we need to get moving.”

“Already?”

Haer’Dalis voice lost none of its pleasantness. “But it is so early…and we are both so exhausted…”

Helg’s jaw tightened. “Yes,” he said. “Already. We will wait for both of you in the common room.”

He hit the wall with his mailed shoulder as he turned to go away. I winced imagining the bruise growing, but he did not seem to care. Hoarsely, Helg started to sing the last verse of the song I heard earlier:

My sweetling, night is growing long,
Will you reward me for the song?
I won’t ask for very much:
A kiss, a smile, things like such…


I turned, but not to look at Haer’Dalis. The candle by the mirror. It was not there any longer. A mound of melted wax is not a candle.

Helg grew up in Candlekeep.

This is very sensitively written; I like it. You portray Aerie very sensitively, and make her seem a lot more mature than the Bioware version does. I'm not sure about the start of the piece; the word "Hi" doesn't quite fit, in my opinion. Substituting "Let me tell you a story", for example, might be preferable.

Your username could be confusing. I appreciate that you may want to indicate a strong tie with the character, but it potentially leads to confusion.

Don't stop writing!

Hi...It is a cold night, and I lit a candle. I am tired of dyeing and my knees are hurting...but...but you know all about it, do not you? I...I cannot talk very well, the gods did not give...give me more than a few thousands of words, and they were not quite...quite generous. But I will try to tell you a story...about a girl on a cold night just like that.

There's bound to be some irony in that.

Pink hair? Oh my...

I'll probably find it hard to agree with most any portrayal of Aerie. This one isn't too bad then, I guess, because I don't feel tremendously annoyed.

I never thought Haer'Dalis was physically so different as that. (Although I just saw someone else write with the assumption. Hmm...) I also found his behaviour towards Aerie more or less acceptable originally. Here, there may not be enough room to show that, but whatever the case, he doesn't give me the same impression. Just the usual "'Your place or mine, baby?' he said, and because of this and that she went along with it." I'm sure that does happen, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. This, of course, isn't a real criticism about the story.

Looka the sky, missy. Yer day's up and yer still 'ere. Take the hint and head back to yer little circus, girlie.

Hi...It is a cold night, and I lit a candle. I am tired of dyeing and my knees are hurting...but...but you know all about it, do not you? I...I cannot talk very well, the gods did not give...give me more than a few thousands of words, and they were not quite...quite generous. But I will try to tell you a story...about a girl on a cold night just like that.

Well I've never been a big fan of Aerie myself, but I did like this story. Aerie and Haer'Dalis is a pairing I have always found interesting and I find her different here than she comes across in the game. Still don't like her much, mind you, but your version is interesting and it is good to see stories that do portray her in a good light.

And this story has also given me an idea for a short story of my own (not about Aerie though) which will hopefully jolt me out of the recent writer's block I've been suffering from, so thanks for that. And thank you too for the good story.

Silver

Looka the sky, missy. Yer day's up and yer still 'ere. Take the hint and head back to yer little circus, girlie.

You've been warned twice now. This is inappropriate and will stop.

j.