"Anything for you, my darling," Argor whispers to Imrizade as Anya and Grommesson approach.
"You words are too kind. But I believe I have as of yet not been able to make your acquaintance..." Argor says in reply to Grommesson.
As Anja whispers, Argor nods and says, "Certainly."
__________
The next few days for Argor and Imrizade are spent almost exclusively within the pocket paradise: sleeping under the picturesque stars, enjoying the perfection of the beaches and waters, and engaging in various other acts of passion.
Eventually, however, the honeymoon had to come to a close. Once Argor had made sure all of his business affairs were in order and well managed, he flew directly to the Blakros estate in the Petals to locate Anja and Grommesson.
He waits in the foyer politely for either the lady of the House or the new Blakros pair to come and explain the situation to the arcanist.
After the dance with Argor, Cladissa moves through the crowd on the dance floor looking for Sir Preston. She wondered what damage her stepsister could have done in a single dance, but she had to find out to start to undo it.
She exits the throng of people and sees the two of them still in an animated discussion near the tables. She wavers in indecision, debating whether to intrude on their conversation or to wait until they finish. Ultimately, her decision is made for her as Auronee spots her, gives a little wave, and excuses herself.
Cladissa slowly moves up to her suitor and forces a smile. "So you've met my stepsister, then."
Sir Preston nods, but notices her mood. "Yes. What's wrong?"
"We're not exactly on good terms. In fact, we pretty much hate each other."
Preston frowns. "Oh. That explains why she didn't know about your... new look."
Cladissa groans and buries her head against Preston's chest. "You didn't tell her. No, of course you did. She saw us together, didn't she?"
"Yes, she said she was concerned about you. That I might be cheating on you. I'm sorry, I didn't know," he says while putting his arms around her.
"I don't blame you," Cladissa says, voice muffled through his tunic. Then she straightens, smooths her dress and plants a kiss on Preston's lips. "I'll have to have a talk with her. In the meantime, I hope you would avoid her. It would make me feel a lot better."
The paladin looks uncomfortable. "Well... about that..."
"What?" Cladissa asks, dread creeping into her stomach.
"She sort of pledged a lot of aid to the Crusade, and promised to use her influence in Taldor to throw more support. I'll be working with her to effect the arrangements."
Cladissa's teeth grind together and she squeezes her eyes shut in frustration. "She's doing this on purpose just to drive me insane," she mutters.
"Look, maybe I can--" Preston begins.
"No! The Crusade is too important. Let's not care about her motives. Do what's best for Mendev and the crusaders."
Preston looks at Cladissa with admiration, then pulls her close for a kiss.
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Once things wind down, Sabrina and Bentley take their leave (and a bunch of snacks for the road).
Not wanting to cause half of the Taldoran embassy to have a heart attack again, Sabrina decides to RSVP an appointment with Auronee for sometime three days after the wedding. She figures that is enough time for everyone to rest after such a big event, and with Argor on his honeymoon, it is not like the team will be doing much of anything either for a while. For this trip, she also brings her Service Allosaurus with her, figuring that Big Ben misses Auronee; they did see each other at the wedding, but Auronee had been so busy and all...
Once again, Sabrina somehow avoids any complications on the road. Maybe Lord Yig is throwing her a bone? That or perhaps he just enjoys the drama llama soap opera her life has become lately and wants to make sure nothing distracts her.
After having Bentley settle down, Sabrina knocks lightly on the door to Auronee's home (or wherever she is supposed to meet her).
"Hi! May we speak with Auronee? We have an appointment with her."
Unlike before, Sabrina is not exactly sure what to expect to happen this time; given how last time went, she can see anything happening.
Cladissa spent the rest of the reception staying close to Sir Preston, dancing and mingling all the while trying to quiet the turmoil that her stepsister had caused in her mind. Eventually, Cole, who had been stationed by the portal, gives her an empathic surge to let her know that Auronee has left the party.
Despite her better instincts screaming at her to let it go, Cladissa excuses herself and surreptitiously flies after her stepsister.
She trails after Auronee and her entourage in the air through the various districts until finally her stepsister is alone. Cladissa lets her illusion fall away and she lands in front of her, black eyes fuming.
"That's a bold look for you," Auronee says, nonplussed at her appearance or manner of arrival. She places her hands on her hips casually, not cowed in the least. "So let me guess, this is a weird fetish of Sir Riverwyne's?"
Bile rises in Cladissa's throat and she has to stamp out her fury before it makes her stupid. She takes a couple deep breaths to calm herself. "Go ahead and take a good look. Say whatever you like, but you say it to me."
Auronee tilts her head curiously, a light smile playing on her face. "Oh? What are you getting at?"
Cladissa tosses her hair and folds her arms in front of her. "What I'm saying is that I've chosen to keep this a secret. My friends have chosen to do the same. That means that if it gets out, we'll know who did, and it will prove that you're so petty about us that you'll stoop to spreading rumors and innuendo."
Auronee laughs. "Your 'secrets' won't last long with you cavorting with paladins like you were. So don't go blaming 'rumors and innuendo' on me," she says with contempt dripping from her words.
"Fine," Cladissa spits. "You stay the hell away from me. We're done."
Auronee smiles wickedly as she walks around her fuming stepsister. "Are we? What about Sir Riverwyne? Are you going to tell me to stay away from him?"
She shakes her head. "No. No way are you blaming the Crusades not getting Taldor's support on me. He'll work with you, and we'll be fine."
Auronee stops and laughs again. "Oh, I doubt that. You'll find some way to screw it up, I'm sure. Like you do everything else."
Cladissa plants her fists on her hips. "More like you'll find some way to manipulate things!"
She shakes her head and tsks. "Get over yourself. I've told you over and over: I don't have to do anything to get you to fail; you're a natural." She waves a hand in a sweeping gesture to her demonic form. "And do you really think that this is going to go over well with his paladin superiors? You're setting yourself up for a grand fall, 'Classy.' Or perhaps, his."
===================================
Auronee steps out of one of the Taldane embassy halls into a pleasant courtyard to greet Sabrina with a warm, inviting hug. She's wearing an official Taldor uniform and looking fabulous in it.
"Thanks for the invitation to get away from those endless meetings with those Taldane sycophants. I need the break." She sits down and takes up her steaming cup of tea and motions for Sabrina to sit on the oversized bench. Wide-eyed attendants nervously set two large cups at her place, and soon bring out a light repast.
"So," she says, crossing her legs in a relaxed pose. "How are things at the Arg-- I mean, Blakros estate?"
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"It's been quiet, which is really weird. Argor is still out on his honeymoon. Handsome Honey is being Handsome Honey, so he's in and out. Cladissa is... uh... working on something. Not entirely sure what. So it's been quiet."
Sabrina gulps lightly but takes a deep breath and continues talking.
"We're not entirely sure what the proper social etiquette for raising this point is, so... we apologize if we sound rude, which is not our intention... At the wedding, we noticed that you were... a bit uncomfortable around your... stepfamily. We think that was the first time we saw you... seem... tense around anyone. So we wanted to make sure you were okay, Windy."
Auronee's eyes dance between the dual draconic heads and she smiles bemusedly. "'We?' Dear, I think the two heads are beginning to have an effect on you."
Then she sets her tea down and smooths her outfit. Looking levelly at Sabrina's left head, she says, "Tessida and I are cordial. That's all we need to be. I do not think of her as my mother. She is simply the woman who married my father when my real mother passed." She picks up her cup and takes a measured sip.
"Bentley's certainly gotten big. I couldn't believe it when I saw him at the wedding. What are you feeding him?"
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Sabrina blushes when Auronee points out her choice of diction.
"It seems our mind has... settled into two different distinctive entities," explains Sabrina Left. "I'm the stream of consciousness."
"And I'm the voice of reason," adds Sabrina Right. "Don't worry too much about it, Captain. Wild Shaping merges Sabs and Sabby back into Sabrina. For the record, I'm Sabby; Lefty is Sabs."
Sabrina opts to just nod through Auronee's explanation. Sabrina Left really wants to ask about Cladissa, but Righty keeps her in check.
Bentley 'smiles' when Auronee mentions him.
"That's the thing! Feeding him was really eating into our paycheck, and lugging around all the carnivore feed was killing our back! So we bought him a Ring of Sustenance, which paid for itself in a year. However, that also functionally gave Big Ben an unlimited supply and an ideal amount of food and water when he was in the middle of hitting several growth spurts. So the final result of Bentley getting perfect amounts of perfect sustenance whenever he needed it was that those growth spikes being almost supernaturally huge! We don't think he'll ever be as big as a full grown wild allosaurus, but he's gonna be big for a domesticated one!"
Bentley snorts in agreement.
"Additionally, the Ring also keeps his hunger and related instincts in check, so Bentley has become super friendly in the last few months!"
Auronee is bright and animated when Sabrina talks about Bentley. "I'm certainly glad that it hasn't done the opposite! I'd be afraid he'd go mad not hunting and stalking prey." She looks at the big dino and winks at him. "Though with a good trainer and friend like yourself, I'm sure that's not a problem."
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Both Sabrina heads blush at Auronee's compliment.
"That's exactly why we still take him out hunting," Sabrina Right admits. "It's just really convenient not having to feed him while we're in a dark church basement full of demons, you know?"
Sabrina Left pipes up, "So are all those 'endless meetings' related to one thing? Or is it just business in general?"
She sighs, rubbing her temple. "Lots of things. Shipping, receiving, lords, nobles, landed gentry, they all need something pushed to the top of the list. It's grueling, sometimes. That's why I love the Pathfinder missions. They're such a relief, since so many problems can be solved with my rapier -- very cathartic."
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"That's interesting. We're usually the opposite. Even if there's sometimes a bunch of drama and llamas between missions, we prefer them to all the nonsense we've encountered over the years," says Sabrina Left. "With all the Evil present on this planet (and given how inept the supposed forces of Good can be), it's a wonder why the world hasn't imploded yet."
"Sorry to hear you say that," Auronee says, reaching out to take one of Sabrina's oversized hands. "That's why we have so much responsibility to fight where we can."
She glances over to the Taldane embassy hall from where she had come, breathing a sigh. "That's why this endless bureaucracy is worth it, ultimately. If I can get them to back the Crusades in their full capacity..."
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Sabrina nods at Auronee's point.
"Glad you're getting Taldor doing more. You'd think people would be putting more priority on the Worldwound. That's why I feel so bad for Sir Preston and his comrades. They have to fight massive armies of giant monsters with minimal help. Where's the Archon Army, you know? I mean, Aroden personally smacked down Tar Baphon. Twice I think! If Iomedae had more quickly and decisively seized control of her dead boss' church and stopped Cheliax from going Infernal, maybe things would be-"
Sabrina Right taps her sister on the head, which calms her down.
"Sorry, Windy. Didn't meant to rant. My team and I been fighting so many demons lately that it's leaving me rather frustrated."
Auronee picks up her cup and takes another sip. "Well, be careful when fighting those demons. You don't want to make a mistake and smite poor Cladissa now, do you?"
Auronee shrugs, her cup still to her lips. "She showed it to me, to be exact. And yes, she made it clear that she wanted it to remain a secret. Though I have to wonder, considering her behavior at Argor's wedding."
Auronee's face lights up with the smile of someone who's caught a scandal and about to relay some juicy gossip. "Oh, just that there was a time when she dropped that little disguise. I took a stroll along the beach during the meal, and noticed that there was some strange hoof tracks in the sand next to another set. I followed them, and saw the good Sir Riverwyne locked lips with a very naked succubus. I didn't know it was Cladissa at the time, mind you."
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"...Huh," remark the two Sabrina heads, genuinely stunned that the witch who had nearly passed out upon seeing Gianluca and Nyug together had rather boldly decided to have a moment of passion with Sir Preston within spitting distance of so many people.
As Yig's Champion gathers her thoughts, there is a bit of a pause.
...Might as well say it now.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you don't really... care for Cladissa," says Sabrina Left very, very carefully.
Auronee arches an eyebrow. "Does that bother you? You're fine. You can like her if you want."
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"...It's something else," Sabrina Right explains carefully. "Earlier, at our luncheon, you came across as liking her. Quote. 'She's such a delight. I truly miss her; here we are, the only family in this great city yet she avoids me like I carried some sort of plague. Maybe you could send her a message for me the next time you see her? That I miss her cute fuzzy face and she needn't be a stranger?' Unquote. Hence I'm... confused."
Auronee puts her elbow on the table and rests her chin in her hand. "You realize she was sitting right there, pretending to be someone else? What else was I supposed to do? Bad mouth her?"
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"...Point," Sabrina Right admits with a nod. She is being sincere here. "I guess I'm just... trying to figure this whole situation out. I mean, I'd don't think I've ever seen you truly dislike anyone who wasn't... Evil. Like genuinely Evil. Destined to go to Hell, Abaddon, or the Abyss. I'm having trouble imagining what Cladissa could have done to earn such... negative feelings."
Sabrina Left glances off to the side and adds quietly, "...Especially given what basket case I can be and how you look past all of that."
She shakes her head with a smile. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit." Then the mirth drains from Auronee's eyes. "I've had to live too many years with her and all her baggage. It never ends. Every little setback for her is a huge drama. I can't even stand it."
She leans back in her seat and pushes away her empty teacup. "If you want to get pulled into her little whirlpool of misery, go right ahead. But I'd advise you just stay clear."
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Sabrina smiles slightly when Auronee compliments her. It is good to know that her friend thinks so highly of her. Yig's Champion honestly does not feel like she has any major confidence issues per say, but she definitely has a few several regrets.
(And a lot of karma that has yet to punch her in the face.)
"I can see how that would be frustrating," Sabrina admits with a nod. "That said, I'm... actually trying to help her into get to a better place. As I told Argor, it would be unfortunate if anyone on our team just collapsed in the middle of a mission. That applies to everyone. Given how much the roster has changed lately, there have been some... tensions. If we need to be drama llamas, then it should happen on our own time."
Sabrina pauses and before sighing and asking, "...If I may, what exactly caused everything to get so... sour between the two of you? I mean, from what I know, things can get quite... vicious."
Auronee looks distant as she searches her memory. "Just... lots of little things. She grated on my every nerve when we were children. You never knew her before that serum made her remotely tolerable. You'd never recognize her from before the serum. The nasally voice, the dithering, the absolute inability to assert herself. You'd probably have a different opinion of her too, if you even bothered to notice her."
She folds her hands in her lap and gives a nod to the attendants who promptly clear away the table. "I suppose if I met her now for the first time, I'd see her differently. But I haven't the time or the inclination to bother with her right now. I can't fix her ridiculous issues or share in all her angst."
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Sabby finds herself wanting to table the conversation, but Sabs overrules her. Maybe bringing up specifics like the Dinner probably is not a good idea, but there are ways to frame just about anything in a better light.
"That all makes... sense, but are those things really worthy of... anything more than just ignoring her?" Sabrina Left inquires curiously but carefully. "...Did Cladissa's... nature cause your father to neglect you in favor of her? And it doesn't sound like Tessida ever did much for you either. I believe we've talked about it before, but that was the eerily the case in my family. That said, at least Mom eventually wised up about it. I mean, we aren't exactly best friends or anything, but I don't... uh... how to say it... uh... I don't... I don't... hate her anymore."
And by all accounts, her father as well. However, he did not have the excuse of a terribly skewed sense of time, and since he was their main parent until adulthood, Sabrina still finds herself a bit bitter toward him.
The next few days for Argor and Imrizade are spent almost exclusively within the pocket paradise: sleeping under the picturesque stars, enjoying the perfection of the beaches and waters, and engaging in various other acts of passion.
Eventually, however, the honeymoon had to come to a close. Once Argor had made sure all of his business affairs were in order and well managed, he flew directly to the Blakros estate in the Petals to locate Anja and Grommesson.
He waits in the foyer politely for either the lady of the House or the new Blakros pair to come and explain the situation to the arcanist.
After a few minutes, Anja and Grommesson Blakros enter the foyer. Grommesson follows her very deferentially. Anja gestures for him to sit and says, "this is for the best. He's family now and must help... confidentially."
She remains standing and turns her perfect smile and attention toward Argor, "thank you for seeking us. I hope you did cut your honeymoon short."
With a polite pause, she continues, "Months ago, I met and enjoyed the company of your former companion Grommuk. Despite the best magical precautions, I became pregnant. A little more than a month later, I delivered a healthy baby. Then, that baby aged as if weeks were years. That baby became Grommesson here. If that is not strange enough, he transforms into a creature closely resembling his father if he feels threatened. So, please manage your reaction."
As Anja confessed the truth of Grommesson's heritage to him, a multitude of thoughts began to run through the obviously shocked mage's mind simultaneously. Of particular note, were the following:
- A most interesting development. So it would appear that the serum has an effect on one's future generations as well. Perhaps this serum is the source of many of the world's more inexplicable facets, such as spontaneous sorcery in a bloodline...
- I am going to have to speak with Imrizade regarding this discovery, in the least. It is a risk she must be made aware...
- A fascinating effect of the serum this time around...increased aging. I wonder if this is going to have an effect on Grommesson's lifespan, or even our own. If so...I am going to have to accelerate my own plans...
- It is something I would have never even considered as a feasible development. That such a thing as this could come to pass. A woman of noble heritage, seemingly of sound mind, WILLINGLY went to bed with that hulking behemoth of an ignoramus. The anatomical and physiological means of such a copulation alone is nearly mind shattering, let alone the fact that this woman CHOSE to do so, so she claims...
From behind tented fingers, Argor contemplates these thoughts and more in silence. Several moments pass before he speaks. "This is a precarious situation you now find yourselves in. You have entered into a very dangerous world, the both of you. For one, the serum that affected his...father...has a tendency to react in a unique manner depending on the host in which it inhabits. The consequences of being exposure to it have varied widely from mutations to dissolving into a pool of indescribable fluid. Anja, you should be made aware that this includes simple contact with the bodily fluids of another host. Seeing as you have clearly been exposed to such, you need to maintain a vigilance of your own physiology for signs of any changes. As for you, Grommesson...you are the first, to my knowledge, to have been exposed to the serum's effects in such a manner, as well as being the first to have had such a reaction. You will need to be cautious in regards to your own actions, just in case new mutations develop spontaneously."
Argor stands and begins to walk about the room as he speaks, "There is another pertinent danger to which you are likely exposed now. In our various efforts to protect the city from threats, or as the Society would say, 'Further the goals of the Society and retrieve and catalog artifacts of interest to the organization,' we have managed to develop enemies. Some of which are quite formidable, and have made both threats and attacks against us in the past. Being a recipient of the serum, no matter the means, will likely paint a target on both of you as well. After the most recent attack on a member of our group, I insisted that both they and the staff of our former Estate relocate themselves to my manor grounds at Verde Heights, so that we will all be in a more defensible location, at least until we can be certain the imminent threat has passed and been dealt with. I would suggest the two of you do the same. However," he stops his pacing and turns to face Grommesson and Anja, "given the nature of his enhancement and the changes you claim he undertakes, I am going to need to know, in explicit detail, what exactly he changes into, the capabilities he has displayed to date, and most importantly, what it takes to set off the transformation. If it is something he has no control over once the change is made, then you should understand my need for caution in such a matter."
Anja nods politely to Argor at all the right places, not really following much of what he says. Then, he gets to something that sounds like an invitation, which is followed by a request to describe the event again. "First, thank you for the invitation. I believe that I've exhausted almost all of my Blakros credit with Hamaria. So, I greatly appreciate your further generosity."
"Next, the event. I'm afraid that Grommesson has only limited memory of what happened, but he servant who was with him described it to us many times. They were out riding horseback a couple weeks ago and were accosted by three highwaymen. Grommesson’s memory of the event stops when a highwayman backhanded him off his horse for attempting to protect the servant. The servant, on the other hand, remembers a giant hand grabbing the brigand, who had just dropped his pants for the first turn, and beating him into the ground. Then, she and the two brigands holding her down saw a fearsome ogre-size creature stand up and toss the dead brigand away like a doll. The two rapists stood and tried to flee. However, the beast grabbed them each by a leg and slam them too against the ground. Then, the ogre loomed over the servant with wild eyes. At this point, she is convinced that her tears broke the creature’s rage. After a minute, the monster had painfully shrunk back down into Grommesson. When he regained consciousness, they returned to the coastal estate by horseback.
"We've kept him calm and protected from threats. We didn't who else to turn to." Anja quietly pleads. Grommesson leans forward with his hands on his knees looking concerned.
Sabby finds herself wanting to table the conversation, but Sabs overrules her. Maybe bringing up specifics like the Dinner probably is not a good idea, but there are ways to frame just about anything in a better light.
"That all makes... sense, but are those things really worthy of... anything more than just ignoring her?" Sabrina Left inquires curiously but carefully. "...Did Cladissa's... nature cause your father to neglect you in favor of her? And it doesn't sound like Tessida ever did much for you either. I believe we've talked about it before, but that was the eerily the case in my family. That said, at least Mom eventually wised up about it. I mean, we aren't exactly best friends or anything, but I don't... uh... how to say it... uh... I don't... I don't... hate her anymore."
And by all accounts, her father as well. However, he did not have the excuse of a terribly skewed sense of time, and since he was their main parent until adulthood, Sabrina still finds herself a bit bitter toward him.
Auronee leans forward and places a reassuring hand on Sabrina's knee. "I'm so glad your family has begun to heal."
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Though she notices that Auronee dodged the questions entirely, Sabrina decides not to press her friend on it. While she doubts that Castor Farwynd ever truly ignored his own daughter in favor of Cladissa, heavily pressuring Windy into succeeding is probably not a bad guess, and Tessida's... cluelessness about... parenting most likely did not win her any favors either. Just a guess, but still, if Sabrina was to throw a dart toward the actual answer, it seems to be somewhere in the right direction.
"It only took fifteen years!" Sabrina Left jokes darkly with a light giggle.
With a sigh, Sabrina Right adds quietly, "Time will tell if we get a chance to make amends with our father. He... recently passed away. Old age. While he was just under seventy, he lived a very hard life. Right now, Mom is deciding whether to use Reincarnation or not. Dad left the decision in her hands, but as you might remember from that time we turned one of your fallen sailors into a centaur, it's a real gamble."
Sabrina pauses and realizes that right now is probably the first chance she openly talked about her father's death with... anyone really. Yig's Champion had only mentioned it in passing to Gianluca and barely said much more to Cladissa. And to be honest, she had partly dropped the subject on Classy as a distraction.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Auronee says in sympathy. She nods, understanding the risks of reincarnation. "On the bright side, Deverlyn has announced that she's just had a foal. But I can understand the awkwardness of having a parent suddenly younger than you, even if it's not something I've experienced."
She scoots her chair around to sit closer to Sabrina, taking her hand in hers. She gives a stern look to a Taldane bureaucrat who had been slinking up to get her attention, and he scurries away. "Take your time. If you need to talk, or just to sit here in silence, I'll be here."
"I see," Argor says before folding his arms behind him and hovering over to look out a window.
After a moment's thought, he says, "We will need to keep you comparatively isolated, Grommesson, until we can determine exactly what it takes to set off your transformation, as well as learn exactly how much control you have over yourself. I will not lie: should you change and become a threat to either myself, my wife, or others, I will be forced to use the various abilities at my disposal to keep those people safe. I would, of course, attempt to use non-lethal means if at all possible, but I am willing to do whatever is necessary to keep those I care about safe. I do not mean that as a threat, but a statement of fact that I want you to be fully aware of going into this."
Anja nods and replies, "of course, Grommesson will do as you say. Won't you Grom? Argor is here to help you."
Grommesson nods in agreement and replies, "I understand. I would do the say in your position. Actually, I think I reacted similarly when I transformed. What do we do now?"
Cladissa drags herself back to Verde Heights, doubts swirling in her mind thanks to her conversation with her stepsister. She wanted to dismiss Auronee's words, but she had given a voice to a suppressed dread in the pit of her being.
Auronee saw us. Did anyone else? she wondered. They hadn't... done that, but she could still feel his hands on her body. His touch had felt so good, but now knowing that Auronee's eyes were on them made her feel ashamed.
Verde Heights was completely empty when she returned. All the wedding guests had left and the manor staff apparently were taking a long-deserved break.
Cladissa slipped through the quiet halls and stole up the stairs to her room. She pushed the door open and spied two figures locked in the throes of passion on her bed. At her gasp, they disentangled from their coitus and sat up. Sir Preston looked at her wide-eyed and in total shock. The demonic-looking woman with him still clung to him, batlike wings covering her nudity and her tail coiled around his leg. "Oh, gods! It's her! It's the one who took me!" she whispered into his ears while Cladissa stood in mute shock in the threshold.
Fury crossed Sir Preston's face at the demon's words, and he snatched up his sword laying against the nightstand. Yanking the blade free from its scabbard, he raised it high over his head. "To the Abyss with you, demon!" he said, the sword blazing with holy fury.
"No! No, please! It's me!" Cladissa cried desperately as the sword flashed down...
Cladissa wakes with a start from her nightmare. She gasps, clutching at her chest as the terror slowly dissipates.
She glances out the window and sees that dawn is near. As her pulse quiets, Cole jumps from his spot on her bookcase and nuzzles her. "It's nothing. Nothing new," she tells him as she senses his concern, although her dread over her relationship with Sir Preston had grown since her conversation with Auronee.
Knowing that she wouldn't be sleeping again this night, she begins getting ready for her day. Her project was almost ready to be announced to her friends, since the pieces were in place. Especially since most of the people she still had to speak with had been at the wedding, and a few connections were made.
She gets ready to again throw herself into her work, since she definitely did not want to think about Sir Preston.
"Now," Argor replies, "we get you back to Verde Heights, so that Nyug...elle, can do some tests, as well as arrange accommodations for the two of you."
Cladissa returns from another exhausting meeting with the Church of Abadar, hands laden with notes for revisions. She has nothing on her mind but a lengthy soak in a scalding-hot bath, but notes the general tenor of the household staff. Argor and Imrizade were back.
She dumps off her stack of parchments in front of Cole. He meows in irritation, but starts grabbing them one at a time in his mouth and flying them up to her room.
Hearing voices in the courtyard, Cladissa decides that, despite feeling mentally spent, she should welcome their hosts back from their honeymoon. She steps lightly into the lush courtyard, keeping her illusion up out of habit and being immediately grateful for it.
"Grommesson! Hi, it's nice to see you again," she says.
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After what feels like days of debate, Sabrina decides not to further press Auronee. While she gets the feeling her patron deity would support her efforts (Lord Yig loves his soaps after all), she gets the sinking feeling that she would have an easier time getting those hunter and scorpion continents of Lord Cthulhu's distant planet to make amends. Oh, sure, there is probably a correct sequence of words somewhere that would probably spur Auronee to see the error of her ways, but Sabrina cannot find it, and even if she did know, it would probably require her much more charismatic sister Setsuna (after being buffed to the high heavens with every supportive spell in Creation) to be the one delivering the words.
Still, Yig's Champion wonders why Auronee is just such a sweetheart when Sabrina has her own moments of weakness while evidently Cladissa is just plain worthy of being destroyed for the same reasons.
...It might be because I can always turn into a 6,000 pound tiger. Or because I trained a two ton dinosaur. Or because of that one time I sank an enemy ship for her by turning into a small water elemental and smashing its hull in with an adamantine hammer.
Perhaps it is too early to grill her on something Sabrina barely knows about. Objectively speaking, Auronee just recommended a dessert at the Argorian Dinner. While it had been a vicious symbolic jab, it had still been Argor who had arranged the whole thing in the first place. Hence Argorian Dinner. And the more she thinks about it, the more it seems like everyone is just better off pretending the blasted Argorian Dinner never happened.
It causes nothing but distress for Cladissa, Argor clearly does not think it is his finest moment, and Auronee just...
Just...
Sabrina sighs in defeat; when did life get so complicated?
When Argor gets back, Sabrina waits for him to get settled and then seeks him out.
"Hello, Mr. Blakros~" she greets playfully before getting serious. "I know you had a literal mountain of wedding gifts to dig through, but by chance did you get to see mine?"
Sabrina thinks very little of Grommesson and Anja visiting; after all, they are Argor's family now.
Letting Grommesson and Cladissa become acquainted, Argor continues on inside and makes his way to his study. When Sabrina makes her inquiry, he replies "Unfortunately not. Imrizade was looking over the gifts. Reginald," he calls out. As the butler enters, Argor adds, "please retrieve the gift Ms. Henderson procured for me. I do not wish to be rude."
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Sabrina is currently a medium air elemental; how else could she fit into Argor's study without wrecking the place?
"Thanks, Reggie!" the Champion of Yig chirps happily as she carefully takes the goods from the butler when he returns.
She places them carefully on Argor's desk (or a nearby table if better). Sabrina's gifts consist of two fancy scrolls, a nice little pouch of spell copy supplies, and a letter.
"Don't mind my memo; it was just an explanation of all the stuff I plan to tell you right now. Oh, and it's an IOU for Imri. I had no idea what to get her. Between the demonic nonsense, Nyug exploding, time spent with Classy, your wedding planning, we've barely exchanged twenty words only had a few chances to speak," Sabrina explains happily as she grabs the first scroll.
"So one of the coolest things about druidic magic, particularly the Naga branch I study, is that there's a lot of overlap with the arcane artes; they have a lot of the same spells. If I wasn't team muscle and had focused my Naga studies accordingly, I probably could've been sitting back with you and Classy and throwing Fireballs and Lightning Bolts. So, for your studies, I got you a couple of delicious spells that fall within this overlap as well as the supplies to put them in your book," Sabrina begins as she unrolls the first scroll.
"This first one is Heightened Awareness. Nice little gem. It superfocuses the mind to 'notice more about your surroundings and recall information effortlessly.' To my knowledge, it is increasingly becoming more of a core spell amongst arcanists, so I thought you would like it. Simple to memorize and easy to spam, it could help push you over the finish line for any big discoveries that are just out of reach. However, I find it paultry compared to this next one."
Sabrina rolls up the scroll again and puts it to the side. She rubs her hands together in anticipation and grabs the second scroll, which is quickly but carefully unrolled.
"Tears to Wine. At first glance, it is not much to brag about. Harder to memorize and initially barely better than Heightened Awareness. I mean, it just purifies a lot of stuff into fine mead or wine and makes you more 'sharp-witted and clear-minded' and all. However, depending on the strength of the caster, much like Greater Magic Fang to my claws, this sucker enhances the mind in a scaling fashion. Oh, does it scale! A Runelord of Old Thassilon would see much more benefit from it than a novice caster. Me? I'm feel like I'm almost to the second threshold of the spell. You, Argor Blakros?
"I recall that you can supercharge your spells to make them stronger, so I think you would see a more immediate benefit from it than I. Oh, unlike Heightened Awareness, you cast it on an existing liquid, so anyone can benefit from this spell. All it takes is drinking just a single drop. While Imri does deserve a custom gift, I suppose this one is my gift to both of you so to speak."
Sabrina gently rolls up the second scroll and gives her best buddy old pal friend teammate a wide grin that clearly asks, "So what do you think?
"Oh, hello." Grommesson replies before jumping to his feet when he realizes who is speaking.
"Lady Clarissa. What a pleasure it is to see you again." He bows ceremoniously to her slow enough to gather what few wits that he has left.
"Good to see you, too," she says. "And it's Cladissa," she adds with a smile to show she's not upset.
Cole materializes on the witch's shoulder, holding a letter in his mouth. She takes it, looks at the seal of House Riverwyne, and passes it back to him. "Thanks, but I'll look at it later," she tells the cat.
He meows at her. "I said, later," she stresses, and Cole reluctantly takes the letter. As he slinks away, he turns back to look at her. "I heard that!!" she yells after him.
"Sorry." She looks at the assemblage of Blakroses, old and new, and the other houseguests of Verde Heights. "Is something going on? Or, I can leave, if you'd like."
Sitting at a small marble table in the courtyard, Nyugelle and Gianluca look up from their game of cards, curious about the conversation.
"Interesting," Argor says as he takes the scrolls and looks them over. "Your generosity is much appreciated. Thank you."
A large bird of prey swoops down into the courtyard, landing before morphing into the tattooed form of the druid Osprey. The strange Kellid looks around, grinning. "Hi!" he says, strolling over to the forming group. "Who's this then?" he asks, motioning to Grommeson with his staff.
Cladissa steps back at the druid's sudden arrival. For a moment, she feels her exhaustion lift as the Pathfinder shows up. She glances around her, feeling somewhat out of place in her crisp business skirt and blouse combo, but figures that there would be enough time to change into her adventuring gear in the event Osprey has a mission for them.
Grommesson looks at the druid, hesitating for a moment. When he sees that the Pathfinders seem to recognize the druid, he bows slightly and replies, "Grommesson Blakros."
Osprey hops around Grommesson like a bird on land as he examines the boy. "Funny...I don't think I've ever heard of you before...Another new addition to the Blakros clan, are ya?"
Grommesson doesn't immediately answer. Finally he ventures, "My mother is Anya Blakros." Clearing his throat he continues, "My existence was not exactly made public. You know the kind of embarrassment an extramartial child can bring. My mother recently saw fit to fully adopt me, and so I made my first public appearance at Argor's wedding."
"Huh. Then why are you still here, didn't the wedding finish up days ago?" Osprey asks.
Grommesson smoothly replies, "Argor has agreed to become my mentor. He is Pathfinder, Maven, Varlokkur and businessman all in one person. Where else could I find such a qualified tutor?"
Osprey grins widely. "Well in that case you should accompany Argor on his next Pathfinder mission. On the job learning is always best I find. Besides, for what the Ten have in store an outsider with no real ties to the Society would be useful."
Osprey turns to Cladissa and Gianluca. "Playtime's over folks. Get your things ready, we'll be making contact within twenty four hours with a briefing on your next mission."
The druid nods to those present, and with a running leap into the air shifts back into his namesake form, flying away without further explanation.