Embrace My Shadows Surrounded In Amber Light

  Sometimes I wish I had never been born a half elf, because when you’re not sober, and people shout at you, it feels like your brain is just exploding from the sound of their voice, as your ears are more like cats sucking in every ounce of the sound. When I feel hungover it’s like that “nails on chalkboard” effect for humans and tieflings and some of the other races. Getting pulled out of a wine cellar is not the worst thing to ever happen in my life since I love Karlach’s company.

  Being healed by some stupid fool of a cleric was tough. Yes, my leg feels better, but I just don’t feel right at all and I don’t know why. Karlach’s fine though, she is not even drunk despite all the whisky she drank. Tieflings have reinforced skulls, neck, backbones and shoulder bones, as they need it to take the weight of their horns, which can be massive, so she took the fall much better than I did… not that I even remember it. I was totally blinded from the light before I hit the ground.

  I think Karlach was holding me on the way down but it got really fuzzy. All I heard was a floor breaking and then nothing. I don't even know how I ended up with that heavy chest on my side unless I fell out of her arms at the last moment, and that was what broke my leg. The strangest thing though… is that right now, I have the sensation that I really don’t feel well, as my stomach is starting to turn, which is so strange as normally I’m fine after that much alcohol. Maybe that mulled wine was off, or not made right, or was a bad batch. Maybe it’s the sewer air down here. I've always hated it.

  “Are you listening to me Shadowheart?!”

  Shadowheart eased her head up as they were both seated on chairs in the harper's new hideout, which you could get to through the sewers. “Look, we did not destroy that building.” Jaheira eased up her hand in annoyance. “They pulled you both out drunk! From where I’m standing this looks terrible. It looks like you decided to go to the nearest tavern and then you behaved in a way unbefitting to both of you!”

  Karlach eased up her clawed hands. “Look, we only drank from that cellar after we both fell into it.” Jaheira breathed in deeply. “That wine was never for either of you, it was for the merchants, who have now lost a huge amount of stock from Neverwinter, not to mention the sailors who now have to repair their boat since the building landed on it, setting it aflame.” She raised her hand. “And I heard about what you drank, those bottles weren’t for Shadowheart!”

  Karlach eyed her in annoyance. “I was drinking all the whisky, why are you fucking blaming her? We both took part in raiding the alcohol!” Jaheira turned to her. “Because what you drank cost one gold piece per bottle, what she drank cost twenty four gold each, and she drank six of them they are a rare commodity here.” Minsc moved as he had been standing close by a wide smile appearing on his face. “Minsc thinks that you're being too hard on them, Boo and I agree that the building design was not made to last.”

  He paused, easing out his small hamster who twitched his nose. “I mean the fire was spectacular and it lit up the night, we were most impressed.” Jaheira breathed in sharply. “You both also put three men and two women guards into the house of healing wing with serious injuries and none of them have woken up thanks to this utterly foolish stunt.” Shadowheart looked up slightly. “We didn’t touch those flaming fist guards; they were below us; we heard a fight break out as we were on the third floor, we were going to leave!”

  Karlach looked up slightly. “Yeah next thing we fucking know there was no floor and we fell right through into the basements wine cellar, and Shadowheart broke her leg on landing.” Shadowheart raised her hand. “Yes, that's the important detail you’re not getting here. We both got knocked unconscious, when we came to the building we had fallen and we were buried under wood. They were digging us out then we drank the alcohol because we were both wishing things had gone better.”

  Jaheira breathed as she eyed them. “Please just tell me you got the items I asked you for at least.” Shadowheart leaned over grabbing her bag. “They are here.” She put her hand inside only to stop feeling nothing as her body froze. “Karlach, did you move those books from my bag?” Karlach shook her head. “No.” She leaned around grabbing her own bag putting her hand in slowly easing out the ugly necromancer sceptre. “Here.”

  Jaheira moved over, taking it from her clawed hand. “Well at least you got what I asked for.” She turned eyeing Shadowheart who was looking nervous as she fumbling through her bag. “Where are the three books?” Shadowheart took in a deep breath. “They’re not here...I had them there. We put them in my bag.” Jaheira put her hands together, truly feeling like she was about to lose her patience. “There were three; three and they need to not get into the wrong hands!”

  Karlach raised a clawed hand. “No, there were two; Shadowheart put them in her bag because we searched for another chest that was similar, as we thought we had been given misinformation. We found nothing.” She felt a sneer form on her lips. “Do you not think there was a remote fucking possibly someone took it before we got there?” Jaheira looked at her for a long moment. “That still does not explain how you both lost the other two.”

  She raised her hand. “You both need to find them! As soon as you’re both feeling better, go to your undead friends and track them down.” Shadowheart felt a sneer form, as she tried to ignore the pain in her stomach getting worse as her guts now felt like they were twisting. “Could you be more specific? We have a number of undead friends, both zombies and vampires, and that’s not including the dead ones I can talk to or the ones I can raise from the dead.”

  Jaheira folded her arms. “I was referring to Astarion, and his brother and sister up in Cazador’s palace as they took over it, after his death. They always know something. Those undead brothers led by Thrumbo, the ghouls up at Philgrave's Mansion, and you can check the Devil's Fee since Mizora took over that shop after you all killed Raphael, they are bound to know something.” Karlach eyed her. “You want us to speak to Mizora?! I’d rather take a shit and talk to that.”

  Shadowheart breathed in deeply. “Thrumbo just sells dark magic items and believe me when I say the ghouls in that place are morons, if I want intelligent conversation I’d go speak to Benji at Circus of the Last Days. He can string more than five words together and you can speak to him like a regular person.” She leaned forward as her stomach pain really took hold. “Can someone please pass me a bucket?” Minsc grabbed the bucket. “You want to throw it in anger? Boo and I will enjoy watching.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Shadowheart looked at him before taking it from his hand, ignoring Jaheira's confused look. “No, I need it because I’m going to throw up and I’d rather not paint your new hideout's wooden floor in my vomit.” Karlach turned in watching in surprise as Shadowheart threw up violently into the bucket which caused everyone to go silent. Maybe because half elf’s and high elf’s didn’t normally do this they could stomach a lot of alcohol with no ill effects other than mild hangovers.

  On top of that, Shadowheart liked to drink. She could drink a lot to no ill effect, which meant that she clearly needed rest as this wasn’t normal. Jaheira breathed in, Shadowheart stopped looking at Karlach who looked concerned now as she felt her anger fade. “Look, both of you just go home and rest. Once you’re well you can do as I’ve asked.” She eased out a gold bag, throwing it to Karlach. “That’s half your payment for the sceptre; you both get the rest when I get the three books.”

  Karlach turned, only for Shadowheart to throw up a second time and just as violently. She rubbed her back gently while wrapping her long tail around her leg. “We’ll go as soon as she stops, okay.” Jaheira breathed in deeply. “If the Duke calls up on you, you will have to explain what happened, but there are no guarantees he will not be angry at you even if I explain what happened and what you told me”.

  She looked up slightly. “So you might want to bring Wyll or Gale to help with that, as they know how to work around the man’s bad moods.” She paused. “Just don’t bring Astarion and his body guard friend Crassus, werewolves are not allowed in the royal courts, they are rabid beasts and they frighten everyone.” She moved over to a box locking the sceptre away. “I have enough to deal without the antics of mindless beasts and monsters.”

  In the lower city some way from the Bloomride Park.

  It's mid-day and the walk to our house really hurts, it just feels long and painful as we are both so tired. The house we own is modest, not large, with two floors, and a small garden. Truth be told, we just grabbed the first thing we could get. It’s quite at this end of town, plus you can see the boats and the sea. It’s not that far to walk to the Park just to get away from it all. Right now we both look like shit, we are covered in dirt but maybe once we sleep we will feel fine.

  Karlach pulled up her key, opening the door to their house, ignoring the next door neighbours staring, though who wouldn’t stare… They both looked terrible. She watched as Shadowheart walked inside as she closed the door, locking it. She breathed in only to see Scratch come bounding up as he spoke in a voice she could hear. “We were worried, you were both gone so long.” She looked at him. “We just had a long day boy, we are sorry.”

  Shadowheart moved, scratching the dog’s ears. “I missed you good boy.” She turned to see the white cat Myshka, running towards her as she petted him. “Missed you two.” Myshka looked up at Karlach, speaking. “Is the elf well, the elf doesn’t seem well.” Shadowheart turned to Karlach. “What did he say? I did not take animal speak potion this morning.” Karlach felt a smile form. “He thinks you’re not well.” Scratch’s head pulled up sharply. “Is she not well? Should we worry?” Karlach raised her clawed hand. “She’s fine.”

  Shadowheart took in a deep breath, petting both their heads. “I’m fine, both of you, I just had a bad night.” She turned as the scuffing of claws sounded, and Us appeared from its corner, the large walking brain with its four clawed legs and tentacles came over, speaking in a voice she could hear very clearly in its almost childlike voice. “Us would disagree, Us can see you both had a fall.” Shadowheart stood up slowly, trying to ignore the stabbing pain that was still in her stomach. “Did you feed Myshka and Scratch, last night and this morning, while we were away?”

  The brain moved. “Of course Us gave them both meat from the cellar like you asked, they were both worried about you.” Shadowheart moved over, putting a hand on him. “Thank you, next time Astarion comes over, you can go on one of his hunts since it’s been a while you fed, and his brother or sister can take you to the under dark to feed.” The intellect devour moved slightly.

  Shadowheart stood up slowly, pulling off her armour slowly and painfully watching Karlach do the same, till they were both down to nothing but their underclothes, they were both too tired to even put their weapons on the upstairs wracks, where that was all kept. Still it wasn’t like anyone ever dared break in, as they were always left alone here. She made her way up the stairs, slowly seeing Karlach and their pets, including Us, following.

  Karlach breathed in as she watched Shadowheart run the water in their small bathroom, with its basin which had a wooden tub. The house had a simple layout: the kitchen and front room were downstairs and a small eating table that could seat four. Upstairs was the bathroom, and opposite was the bedroom, with a very large bed built for two people which they’d had to have made as she was too big for the normal sized beds. Off the side of that room was where they kept all their armour and weapons and a locked chest.

  Her thoughts were broken as she felt a warm wet sponge on her body, realizing that her lover was cleaning the dirt off her back, all the way down to her tail, which she was also cleaning right down to the tip. “You know… you should be letting me clean you, darling.” Shadowheart felt a smile form. “Oh, but that would take away my personal enjoyment of playing with your tail.” She carried on cleaning it right down to the forked tip. “Your tail has so many uses in bed that give me hip work.”

  Karlach eased up a sponge as she turned, using the it to gently clean the other woman’s face and arms. “Regardless of my tail skills, you need to get lots of rest tonight. We have plenty to do in the morning.” She felt a twinge of pain as she spoke painfully. “Just sorry I dropped you when we both fell.” Shadowheart moved her sponge cleaning the other woman gently. “You saved my life Karlach, if anything, I’m deeply grateful.”

  She watched as the other woman leaned down and carefully cleaned both her horns, being careful with the broken one as they both finished cleaning each other with the sponges. “Plus this isn’t the first time you’ve saved me... so please, don’t worry, injuries just happen.” She leaned up, kissing her slowly and gently for a long moment, pulling away, watching as the other woman’s eyes lit up striking blue, along with the rest of her body, lighting up the room in a deep blue hue as she put a hand on her face feeling the warm heat. “Never feel bad for saving me love.”

  Karlach felt a wide smile form, she eased up her clawed hand. “We both need sleep, and I know I won’t get any if you keep going.” Shadowheart moved towards the bed, getting in slowly, as the other woman got in next to her, wrapping an arm around her. She carefully undid her silver hair piece, easing it free, letting her long white hair spill down. She watched as Scratch and Myshka leapt on the bed taking their sleeping positions. Us moved to his padded bed that was on the floor, he was far too big for the bed. Everything slowly went quiet and the blue light faded as everyone fell asleep, including the cat and dog.

  Us eased up his tentacles, slowly sensing something, which was not coming off Karlach. No, it was coming off Shadowheart… dark magic which revealed itself as black smoke, ebbing off her body as they sensed the half elf’s eyes snap open in her sleep. Even though she was dreaming, they were flicking from side to side as they started to glow purple and blue, even though the body remained sleeping, unaware of the world. The magic felt toxic, clingy, as if something was desperately trying to keep its grip in her mind, but was slipping, so it was trying to claw back violently for control.

  End of part 2

  Silvermoonlight