8"You awake, harbour boy?" Neeshka asked. It was a little after dawn, and the tiefling was nestled comfortably between warm blankets and her boyfriend's equally warm body.
Marcus looked at her through half open eyes and smiled. Neeshka looked gorgeous in the half light of dawn. He wasn't sure what it was. The way the light made her hair seem to glow a soft orangey red, perhaps? "I'm awake, sweetheart, what's up?" he asked.
"Thanks for saving me from myself," Neeshka said softly.
Marcus looked curiously at the tiefling. "What do you mean, Neesh?"
"Like you don't know," Neeshka said playfully. "Last night I was hells bent on sleeping with you, yet you refused to take advantage," she said more seriously. "I'm glad you did. Think I would have hated us both this morning," the tiefling finished quietly.
"I love you, Neesh," the harbourman said as he kissed her. "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had. Though you were very tempting," Marcus said, as his left hand stroked her back. "That's not to say that I don't mind holding you or…" a glint of mischief entered his eyes, "touching you." His hand gently caressed the base of her tail.
Neeshka's eyes went wide. "That's… not fair… harbour boy," she gasped.
Marcus grinned. "Call that payback for your little stunt the other night, Neesh."
Neeshka smiled, and then got a thoughtful look on her face. "You know, at Ember, when you lost your temper with Bishop? Who was the childhood friend you mentioned?" she asked shyly.
Marcus was wondering when she'd ask. "Her name was Amie Fern and she was an orphan, much like I was. She was a few years younger as well," he said, recalling his friend. "Amie was the apprentice of our resident wizard Tarmas. A rather dour fellow, with a knack for grumbling about everything." The harbourman stopped for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "The night of the attack, Amie, Bevil and I were fighting off the bladelings and grey dwarfs, trying to locate our scattered militia forces as Georg wanted to mount a defence at the Starlings' farm. Then we came across Tarmas duelling with the gith mage that was leading the attack." He looked Neeshka in the eyes. "I've never seen a wizards' duel before. It's an impressive sight but also very dangerous. Amie got it into her head to do something really stupid, despite the fact I told her to stay back. I tried to stop her but… she just would not listen," Marcus said sadly. "Amie ran to help Tarmas, but she wasn't strong enough and the gith mage blasted her." He sighed heavily. "It's heartbreaking to watch a good friend die and not be able to do anything to prevent it." The harbourman shook his head. "I don't think Brother Merring could have done anything for her, even if we taken her body to him. She was too badly burned and beyond help. All we could do was bury her along with the other people we lost in the attack, after it was over, before I left for Neverwinter."
Silence reigned for a few moments before Neeshka spoke again. "Were you and Amie ever, ah, you know…" she trailed off uncertainly.
Marcus shook his head with a slight smile. "No. I was never interested in Amie romantically. She was a good friend, nothing more." His smile grew a little. "Though I think she dared me once to kiss her… or was it Bevil that dared me to? Can't really remember now."
Neeshka nodded. "So… I'm the first girl you've been interested in?" she asked, a little surprised.
"Yes," Marcus said after a moment. "And before you ask, Neesh, I'm not sure why I'm attracted to you… but I was drawn to you almost as soon as we met." He grinned. "Maybe it's those devilishly cute horns… or that equally devilishly sexy tail?" he said as he caressed each one, making the tiefling blush. "I don't know, but there is something about you that I'm drawn to."
"That really surprises me, you know," Neeshka said as she ran a hand over the harbourman's chest. "You just seem… experienced in the ways of women, is all."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "I… do?" he asked. "How have I managed that? Because I can tell you, Neesh, I'm running blind here." Whatever I'm doing right, let's hope I can keep doing it, he thought.
"Are you alright, Shandra, lass?" Duncan asked as he placed a mug of freshly made coffee in front of the farm girl.
The blond-haired farmer looked up. "Oh… um… still trying to get used to the idea of your nephew and the tiefling." Shandra shuddered a little. "Think I'm still in shock after what I saw last night."
Duncan frowned as he sat down across from her. "What do you mean, Shandra?" he asked. "What did you see?"
The farm girl suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Well… I was going to my room, and I turned the corner and there they were, just outside her room having an… intimate conversation," she said, looking a little ill.
Duncan raised an eyebrow. Surely, it couldn't have been any worse than the one I witnessed, he thought. "Intimate in what way, lass?" he asked. The innkeeper knew he was snooping but couldn't help himself.
"The tiefling asked Marcus to have sex with her," Shandra said quietly. "She was even propositioning him with her tail." The farm girl shuddered from the memory.
Duncan's eyes went wide. He knew he shouldn't be so shocked as it was obvious that was going to happen sooner or later. "Dare I ask what happened next?"
"Marcus turned her down, saying that as much as he wanted to, the timing felt wrong," Shandra replied, not quite believing it. "Not that he wasn't tempted, because he was. You could see it in his eyes and the way he was holding her." Shandra suppressed a shudder. "They still went into her room together."
Duncan let out a sigh. "Well… it's not like I knew that wasn't coming. Still, it's good to know the lad has a steady head about such things." The innkeeper knew that if Marcus were more unscrupulous, he could have bedded the tiefling and maybe even the wood elf by now. However, Marcus had higher standards. Unlike, for instance, Bishop. Duncan smiled a bit. "What you saw proves one thing, Shandra. He loves her, and isn't just after a bit of fun."
"How can you say that?" Shandra asked. "I can't get used to it. I admit I've lived most of my life on my farm and only left it to do some merchant runs." She sighed. "This is over my head. How can a handsome man like Marcus find that tiefling attractive?"
Duncan studied Shandra a few moments then he chuckled. This is ironic, she's jealous of Neeshka. "You're jealous, aren't you, Shandra?" the innkeeper asked
"What? ... No! Of course I'm not jealous!" Shandra cried.
"Oh yes, you are, lass," Duncan said with a knowing smile. "I've been around a while, you know. The look you got in your eyes when you called my kin handsome said it all, Shandra." The innkeeper found this very amusing. In a way, this is allowing me to deal with my own demons, as I'm sure I must have sounded like Shandra before Casavir made me realise a few things.
The farm girl sighed as she admitted defeat. "And if I do find Marcus attractive? What can I do?"
"In all honesty, lass? Not much," Duncan said. "Neither one will stand for any interference for long. As I learned, first hand," he said with a rueful smile, as he absently rubbed his cheek where Neeshka had slapped him.
"Why? What happened?" Shandra asked with morbid curiosity.
Duncan shook his head. "No, Shandra, it's a private matter. I don't think I should talk about it. All you need to know is that Neeshka slapped me and Marcus came very close to hitting his Uncle Duncan," the innkeeper said as he stood up. "Well, I'll leave you to your breakfast, and I better rouse those two love birds."
Shandra frowned. "Are you sure that's wise?"
"Maybe not wise, but necessary," Duncan replied. "An… acquaintance of theirs came by while they were off rescuing you and said he wanted to see them when they got back. It sounded important as well."
Duncan tapped lightly on Neeshka's door. "Marcus, lad, you awake?"
There was a slight pause before the harbourman answered. "I don't even want to know how you knew I was here." Another pause. "What's up, Duncan?"
The innkeeper chuckled. "Shandra saw you and Neeshka, ah… talking in the hall, last night."
"WHAT?" Neeshka yelled. "That… farm girl SAW us? Hells, hells, hells."
"Easy, lass, I'm not mad, you know," Duncan said, amused at the tiefling's outburst. "When you two decide to leave the comfort of the bed covers, Sand would like to see both of you. And no, he didn't say what it was about, but I got the impression it was important," Duncan said, before he turned and went back to the common room.
An hour or so later Marcus and Neeshka walked, hand in hand, into the moon elf's shop.
"What's this about you wanting to see us, Sand?" Marcus asked as he looked around, trying to locate the wizard.
Sand appeared from a store room, holding some tomes. "Ah, good, you're both here," he said as he placed the books on his countertop. He walked past the young couple to lock the front door, as he didn't want any unnecessary interruptions.
"What's going on, Sand?" Neeshka asked quietly. "What's this about?"
"Nothing to be alarmed about, I assure you, my dear," Sand said soothingly, as he got out a stool and sat down. "Neeshka, I'm going to ask what may seem odd questions to you, but please, answer them as best as you can."
The tiefling nodded, a little uncertainly. "Alright, Sand, I hope you know what you're doing," she said. Marcus gave the wizard a questioning look as well, but remained quiet.
"Well, let's get started, then. Have you had any…. how can I put this? Unusual occurrences, feelings, or reactions to seemingly normal things?" Sand asked.
Neeshka thought for a few moments then nodded slowly. "Yeah, as it happens," she said. "When the gith attacked the inn about a tenday ago, that night I just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen." The tiefling felt her cheeks get warm. "That's why I asked the harbour boy to stay." She tilted her head to one side, thinking. "Then there was this really strange boy we met in Ember, but I couldn't see him clearly as he was almost totally glowing with power. He was… like a beacon of light in the dark night." Her eyes grew in size. "Kind of like the glow I can see around you, Sand, but compared to the boy's, yours is very subdued." Neeshka looked scared. "What's happening to me, Sand?"
Marcus pulled his girlfriend into a hug and held her as she trembled with fear. Sand looked first to Neeshka, who was terrified out of her mind, and then at Marcus, and the look of love and concern he saw on the young man's face tugged a little at the moon elf's heartstrings. The wizard gave a nod. This is the right thing to do, as it will correct a grave wrong, he thought.
Sand let out a sigh. This isn't going to be pleasant. "I don't know how to explain this to you, Neeshka, so I shall be blunt. Many years ago, when you were in the care of Helm's Hold, you started showing signs of developing innate abilities. Not that unusual, it has to be said, but your abilities were out of the ordinary for a tiefling," Sand said. "Now, I presume out of fear of what your powers could become, the priests had an enchantment placed on you that suppressed those powers. That is now beginning to fade and that is why you're having these strange happenings."
"What are you saying, Sand?" Neeshka asked, confused and hurt. "They violated me? Altered me? What?"
Sand nodded. "They most certainly violated you. But you wouldn't have known any better, as from the records I found you were about two or three years of age, at the time."
Neeshka cursed a long string in Abyssal. "I remember that I think… the other kids used to make fun of me because I could 'see the future' or something… The priests did something, I don't know what, but it didn't feel right somehow… Afterwards I felt sluggish, but that passed and I never really thought too much about it until now."
The wizard stood and walked over to the tiefling. "There is also something else. Neeshka, your long dormant and untrained abilities are starting to awaken at a much more accelerated rate than had you gained them normally. If I do not train you, you run the very high risk of going insane."
"I'm not going to lose her, am I, Sand?" Marcus asked softly.
The wizard shook his head. "Not if I have any say in the matter, Marcus. Once Neeshka is trained to handle her powers, she'll be fine. Also, I can make up some potions that will assist in her transition so she is not overwhelmed by the suppression spell fading. If I do not intervene, you could wake up one morning and have a raging beast on your hands."
"Alright, Sand, what do I have to do?" Neeshka asked quietly. She was mad as the hells, but she knew enough to get herself fixed up first. She smiled grimly. Then she'd go to Helm's Hold to seek some much needed answers.
"Let's start you with some basic cantrips, Neeshka," Sand said, as he walked over to the tomes so he could start training his tiefling apprentice. "I think a light cantrip is a good place to start, not much chance of creating a disaster. I want to see how easily your powers manifest, and how well you can control them," he said, opening one of his tomes. "Though you seem to have the ability of premonition as well as being able to see another's aura which I find most intriguing," the wizard said thoughtfully.
Neeshka looked at Sand nervously. "You sure I won't blow anything up?"
The moon elf smiled. "You'll be fine," he told the worried tiefling.
"Sand's right, sweetheart," Marcus said. "Most cantrips aren't strong enough to do a great deal of damage. Even a ray of frost isn't going to destroy much more than an old rotten barrel."
Sand looked at Marcus, somewhat surprised. "You seem to have more than the average understanding of the principles of magic," he commented.
Marcus smiled. "I spent a lot of time with the resident wizard in West Harbour. My friend Amie was his apprentice, but Tarmas had to put up with me as well," Marcus explained. "He finally figured he might as well teach me a few things since I was there most of the time anyway." The harbourman grinned. "And in the middle of a Mere winter there isn't much more to do than read. Of course, Tarmas being Tarmas, he often bemoaned the fact that I never really wanted to become a wizard. It became something of a running joke between us."
The moon elf tapped his chin in thought. Now there's a name I haven't heard since Luskan, he mused. I wonder could it be the same moody, forever grumbling Tarmas Wode? "Well, now. It looks like I may have to see how much you know, my boy." Sand's smile got bigger. "It will also help Neeshka if she has someone to train with, and I can't think of anyone better, can you?" he asked the harbourman.
Neeshka grinned at her boyfriend. "We'll be a great team, won't we, harbour boy?" she asked. "Me, the daring rogue-sorceress and you the dashing warrior-wizard?"
"You know it, sweetheart," said Marcus, hugging the tiefling gently. The harbourman was smiling, too, for he now had a reason to become a mage other than Tarmas' near constant grumbling.
In the official residence of the Luskan Ambassador to Neverwinter, Torio Claven, sat at her desk with a scowl. She just been handed some documents from her master, and she was not happy, not at all.
The elegant woman stood and walked to the window to look out at the city while she thought about what had been in her master's message. He's a fool to think that this ploy will work. Nasher is not that much of a fool, Torio thought, as she folded her arms over her chest. And I don't like the extremeness of this plan either. But what can I do? That's what I get being in the service of a Hosttower mage. She sighed heavily. How had she gotten into this situation? Torio knew all too well- and she hated herself for it at times, like now. The harbourman is not short of powerful allies from what my sources say. The eyes of the leadership of Neverwinter are on him and he has the ear of a powerful priestess, it is said. Torio smiled ruefully as she remembered Garius's stern face. Do not worry, master; I shall play my part, as I always do, when the time comes.
Torio turned back to her desk and sighed. Now I know how Sand must have felt before he fled the Hosttower and came to Neverwinter.
There was still a staggering amount of paperwork to get through.
Casavir, Khelgar and Elanee, along with Shandra, were all having lunch and wondering where Marcus and Neeshka were, as they hadn't seen them all morning, not since they'd left to see Sand.
The missing duo had just walked into the Flagon when Neeshka stopped short. "Wow, I can really see Casbear's aura now that Sand has started training us both," she breathed, looking at the paladin. Neeshka found it calming to look at; it was soft blues and greens, with a much darker blue highlighting Tyr's holy power.
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Casbear? Do I even want to know how you gave the poor man that name?"
The tiefling blushed. "Well… he's been really good to me, you know. Hasn't denounced us for some of our… antics. He reminds me of a bear in a way. They can be friendly and not much of a bother, but provoke them and they can be deadly. Casavir reminds me of that when he fights."
"And what have you two been doing?" Khelgar asked as he saw them coming over to the table. "Or do we want to know, eh?"
"Khelgar!" Elanee admonished with a slight smile. "Manners at the dinner table, please!"
"You're no fun, tree worshiper," the dwarf grumbled with a grin.
Casavir just shook his head. "So what have you two been doing? Nothing unbecoming to a respected watchman and his lady, I hope." The amusement was evident in Casavir's deep rumbling voice.
Shandra did her best to hide her disdain at the banter. She just couldn't accept the fact that everyone was at ease with Marcus and Neeshka being together. Elanee did cast a warning look in the farm girl's direction.
"Just been learning a few new things from Sand," Neeshka said, as she cast a harmless light spell.
Elanee studied the tiefling as Marcus drew out a chair for her, then sat down himself. "There's something different about you, Neeshka, isn't there?" the wood elf asked.
Neeshka gave a nod. "Don't really want to go into it right now, but as Sand said, 'You're a sorceress Neeshka, a natural, but I still need to train you so you can handle your power'," she said, doing a good impression of the snarky moon elf.
"Show off," Marcus said with a smile.
Neeshka grinned cheekily. "Hey, can't help it if I'm naturally talented, harbour boy."
"Really?" Marcus asked, as he raised a hand, recited an incantation as he gestured with his fingers. The harbourman's spell was a little more dramatic but just as harmless, for Marcus was surrounded by an ethereal glow.
"Now who's the show off?" Neeshka asked with a wink. Sand had been slightly surprised when the moon elf realized that Marcus was capable of handling more complex spells then the tiefling. Not that this worried Neeshka, for both Sand and Marcus had assured her that she'd soon catch up.
"Hey, now, what's with the amateur magic show?" Duncan asked, as he brought over their lunch.
Marcus chuckled. "Duncan, you really wouldn't want us tossing around magic missiles now, would you?" he asked. "Sand had discovered that Neeshka has sorceress powers, and he wouldn't leave me alone once he realized I knew so much about magical theory. So now Sand has got himself two mage apprentices." The harbourman chuckled again. "Tarmas will be pleased he's got his wish at last. I've become a wizard." Then he leaned over to Neeshka and spoke in a low voice. "Do you want to go and see Serena after lunch?"
The tiefling nodded. "Yeah I just need to vent to someone," she said softly.
"Don't tell me, lad, you're going to start wearing a dress?" Khelgar asked, appalled. "It's not right, I tell you! You can't beat good armour and an even better weapon in your hand!"
Marcus laughed. "Don't worry, Khelgar, I'm not suddenly going to start wearing robes and I'm not giving up my armour or my longsword anytime soon!"
"And I'm not stopping being, ah… light fingered either, not with the amount of traps and locks we seem to keep finding during our misadventures," Neeshka added with a grin, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh great, as if having the little pointy eared viper next door wasn't bad enough, now I've got to put up with his two apprentices," the innkeeper grumbled, good naturedly. "So I take it this is what caused Sand's late night visit while you were off rescuing Shandra?" Duncan asked, more seriously.
Marcus nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."
"Marcus, Neeshka, it's good to see the two of you," Serena said, greeting the young couple as she showed them into her private rooms at the Temple of Torm. "However, something tells me that this is more than just a social call." She waved her guests to take a seat as she sat down.
"Yes, I'm afraid so, Serena," Marcus replied as he sat down on the couch, Neeshka next to him. "Neeshka and I have found out something that has disturbed us greatly, but I'll let Neesh explain as it affects her the most."
"I'm not sure where to start," Neeshka said, fiddling with her tail.
"I often find starting at the beginning is a good idea," Serena replied with an easy smile.
"Yeah, guess so. Okay then, we were exploring the Tomb of the Betrayers looking for a missing priest, who we found, but there was a whole lot of undead," Neeshka explained. "One almost killed Marcus. I thought it had, and I still don't know what happened, but I destroyed it using magic." The tiefling shivered slightly. "I found that a little worrying."
"We all did, sweetheart," Marcus replied. "I asked a mage friend of ours about what had happened, and he offered to look into the matter for us," he said, continuing the story. "But what Sand found out shocked us all."
"I'll say, harbour boy," Neeshka said with a rueful smile. "When I was at Helm's Hold, the priests put an enchantment on me, suppressing my natural sorceress powers." The tiefling made a face. "I was mad as the hells when Sand told me, but what's worse is that now the enchantment is beginning to fade, and if Sand hadn't stepped in and offered to train me, I might go insane." The fear in her eyes and voice were obvious.
"Shh, it's alright, Neesh, you're not going to go insane. Sand and I will see to that," Marcus said as he hugged her.
The tiefling smiled weakly. "What would I do without my harbour boy?" she asked. "It makes me wonder, though, who were my parents were, since at least one of them had to have sorcerer abilities. Was it my mother or my father? My fiendish side or my human side?" Neeshka asked, looking lost. "I never knew my parents, Serena. I'm mad as the hells and I want answers, and the only place I can get those is Helm's Hold. Pack of self righteous bastards," the tiefling spat.
"Believe me, I know how you feel, Neeshka, dear," Serena said soothingly. "It wasn't so long ago that I had more assassins after me than I could count, and I was feared for what I was, and not who I was." The priestess sighed heavily. "I think it's time you heard a story. Do either of you know of the Time of Troubles?"
Marcus gave a nod. "If I recall correctly Ao made all the deities take mortal form and walk Faerûn."
"Yes, that's correct. One of the gods, Bhaal, foresaw his own death and he took… steps to ensure that he would be brought back. He had many offspring. To this day I do not know how many, nor do I wish to." Serena sighed. "Bhaal was an evil god and presided over murder. Cyric now holds his portfolio and he's welcome to keep it," the priestess spat as if it were something foul. "For I want nothing to do with my dear departed 'father' at all." Her sarcasm was hard to miss.
Both Marcus and Neeshka looked stunned as they realised what Serena meant. The priestess smiled. "Yes. I'm the last child of a long dead god, who still has his cursed blood in my veins. I'm a Bhaalspawn and have been hunted for that for most of my life. So, as I said, I know how you feel, Neeshka, dear." Serena's smile was sad. "My advice to you is leave the matter of your parentage be for a while, don't do anything rash yet. You're right to want answers, as I once did. Give it time and the answers will come. I know it's hard, but I really don't want to see either of you doing something you'll regret."
Neeshka could only nod at the wisdom of the older woman. "Thanks, Serena, I… I needed to hear that."
"I'm glad I could help, dear. I like to be useful and, at the moment, I've been spending most of my time sitting doing nothing. Which, it has to be said, is boring as the hells."
"You're welcome to come visit us at the Flagon whenever you feel like it, Serena," Marcus said as he stood up.
Serena's smile lit up the room. "Thank you, young man, and I might just do that. I should really apologise to the innkeeper as I was a bit… direct with him last time I was there."
End of Book 1
Continued in Book 2: The Knight-Captain's Lady
