“What do you mean he is gone?â€
Roen stared eyes wide at the empty bed in the small stone walled room. No matter how hard she glared at it, it remained vacant. The man that used to lay there, with tubes protruding out of his chest… was simply no longer there.
Shaelen gave a helpless shrug. “He stood up, swayed, and then stumbled out.†She was leaning back on a wooden chair, precariously balanced on its two hind legs, her feet crossed at the ankles atop the table in front of her. She looked as relaxed as one could be given the fact that she had just lost her patient.
That exasperated Roen even further. “And you did not think… to stop him?â€
Shaelen lowered her head, her eyes looking over the red shades that rested upon the bridge of her nose. She arched one eyebrow. “What was I supposed to do? Knock him out? Tie him up? He wasn’t my prisoner. You just brought me here to make sure he woke up. Well, he woke up and wanted to leave.â€
The smuggler was met with a look of dismay. “Certainly he was not in any condition to...?â€
Shaelen rolled her shoulders again. “I have to give him some credit. The man is one tenacious bastard. Once he made up his mind to leave, nothing was going to stop him. Unless… you know, I knocked him out unconscious. Which I did consider! But…â€
Roen threw both hands up in the air, incredulous. “But…?â€
Shael uncrossed her legs, leaning forward, almost strangely casual... before saying, “He offered me a lot money.†She immediately bolted to her feet and held her hands up before Roen could reply. It may have been the heat Roen felt rising in her cheeks, or the rolling indignation that was twisting her face that prompted the smuggler to do so. “Now now, Ro, before you unsheath that sword or something crazy, let me explain!â€
Roen breathed once in, and once out. She somehow forced her voice to calm. “Explain.â€
Shael’s blue-grey eyes darted from the paladin’s face to her sword hand and weapon then back to her face. She parted her lips in a toothy smile, one that seemed to only vaguely hint at an apology. “He woke up and started asking a lot of questions. Where he was, who I was, and so on and so forth. I told him he was in a safe house and mentioned how you called on me to help him, and he seemed to calm a little. But he seemed set on leaving, saying that if he didn’t, his life was good as forfeit. I said you had a lot of questions for him, and likely didn’t mean him any harm. I mean, he would have died otherwise. He owed you, you know?†She sat back down, this time onto the bed. Her hand went to the tablet that laid upon it. “But he said either I stop him physically or that he will be on his way.â€
“I would have preferred that you stopped him physically.†Roen crossed her arms, her expression stern.
“I know!†Shael chimed back eagerly. “I considered it! But…I have a feel for these things. And while I could have forced him to stay since he wasn’t in any condition to put up much of a fight, he was likely going to be a lot less cooperative if we went there. So… I waited until he offered me a sizeable incentive, and said I’d release him on one condition.â€
“And what was that?â€
Shaelen scooped up the tablet and held it out for Roen. “He left you something. A message. Okay, a long message. I told him to record a confession, telling you everything you might want to know. He seemed to know what you wanted from him, but still he went on to say more.â€
Roen took the tablet in her hand, the screen lighting up as she activated it. She glanced from it to the Highlander seated on the bed. “You read it?â€
Shael made a face and snorted. “Of course! I had to be sure it was worth letting him go. I read it after he left, but I could have tracked him down if I needed to.â€
Roen felt some of her anger starting to fade, although her disappointment still lingered. “You better hope he left me what I needed to know,†she grumbled.
Shael crossed her legs, leaning back against the bed with both her hands splayed on the mattress. She shrugged, smiling coyly. “Or what, we’re no longer friends?†There was a cocky smirk to her lips as if she already knew the answer.
That only made Roen roll her eyes although she really had no appropriate retort for that. For as long as she has known the woman, the Highlander was impulsive and brash, with a streak of recklessness. It reminded her of another smuggler, and a part of her wondered if all pirates were this way. Or why she found herself always getting involved with these types of personalities. Roen quickly shook her head free of such silly questions and furrowed her brows. She still had not told Shael about Delial and Gharen’s involvement. With Taeros now gone to the winds, perhaps the encounter between them did not need to happen after all. She recalled the displeasure on Delial’s face when she informed her of Stormchild’s part in awakening Taeros. But for the sake of finding Harvard, Delial had agreed to a form of truce, or at least to not incite violence first should she and Shaelen ever cross paths. But now with circumstances being what they were, was it even necessary?
“Gharen told me he held you at knife point once,†Roen heard herself blurting out even before she knew it. “And went back on a deal he made to turn Delial over by having the Brass Blades arrest you.†Even now, she found those revelations unfathomable. When had Gharen and Shael’s relationship soured so?
Shael flicked her an odd look, some mirth fading from her face. “Why do you still come to my aid?†Roen asked as she regarded the smuggler, her question sincere.
The Highlander squinted her eyes, her lips pursed in thought. “Your brother did break his promise,†she said blandly. “But I knew he was bluffing when he held that knife to my back. As for turning me into the Brass Blades…†the smuggler snorted out a laughter. “Come on! If I couldn’t get out of some trouble with the Brass Blades, you’d think I’d still be in the business I’m in?â€
When Roen continued to study her looking somewhat perplexed, Shaelen sighed and shrugged. “In my line of work, you can’t hold minor grudges for too long. Else you run out of people to do business with. If they didn’t do you any real wrong, then you need to move on and do what you need to do to keep afloat. Don’t mean I will ever trust your brother though.
“You, on the other hand…†Shaelen cocked her head, giving Roen a long look over. “You’re easy to read and you wear your heart on your sleeve. I can see you coming from a malm away.†She shook a finger at her. “And well, as I recall, I am the one that knocked you upside the head first… and here you are still talking to me. What does that say?â€
Roen chewed her lower lip with some hesitation before she took a seat next to the smuggler. “So, you do not hold me accountable for what happened to Aylard?†It was a fear she had always kept deep within, one that she had tucked away and never voiced. But for some reason, she needed to ask now.
Shaelen went still, even her breathing seemed to cease for a moment. Her expression darkened. “No, that is all on the Kinslayer.†Her voice suddenly chilled as well as her demeanor. “That kind of wrong you never forgive. Or forget.â€
If Roen had thought that this was the opportunity to gently broach the subject of Delial’s involvement in all this, Shael’s cold disposition quickly changed her mind. Perhaps this was not the right time either. She looked onto her lap, her fingers absently tapping upon her leg. She did not like keeping secrets from those she considered friends.
“Gratitude,†she finally murmured. “For helping me. With Harvard, Mister North, and now Taeros.â€
Roen had not raised her gaze yet to look upon the Highlander, but when a shining metal object suddenly spun in front of her, she looked up. It was a silver Garlean timepiece. “You should probably have this.†Shaelen said, holding out the relic, the polished metal medallion hanging from a thin chain. “It belonged to Lazarov.â€
Roen blinked as she carefully cradled the watch in both hands. “How did you…â€
“He was lousy at cards!†She released the chain to let it fall onto fall into Roen’s hand, then hopped off the bed. “And I drank him under the table. Although he thought he was drinking me under the table. Ha!†When Roen regarded her with a bewildered look, the smuggler scratched her head sheepishly. “It was a long time ago.â€
Not knowing what to say, Roen returned her attention to the gift in her hand, her eyes combing over its details. This would be something that Nero would have cherished for himself. He did always love clockwork gadgets, and this was Garlean, no less. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Shael striding to the table, picking up her equipment and gun that laid there. The Highlander swung it over her shoulder and set the weapon to rest against her back, before looking at the paladin again. Roen was still at loss for words.
Rather than offering one of her usual wisecracks, Shaelen just gave her a nod, her smirk curling into a softer expression. “He wasn’t all bad.†To that, Roen just smiled.
“Okay, I’ll leave you alone with Taero’s latest diary entry. Enjoy!†The smuggler gave the air a vague salute before striding out the door.
Roen stared eyes wide at the empty bed in the small stone walled room. No matter how hard she glared at it, it remained vacant. The man that used to lay there, with tubes protruding out of his chest… was simply no longer there.
Shaelen gave a helpless shrug. “He stood up, swayed, and then stumbled out.†She was leaning back on a wooden chair, precariously balanced on its two hind legs, her feet crossed at the ankles atop the table in front of her. She looked as relaxed as one could be given the fact that she had just lost her patient.
That exasperated Roen even further. “And you did not think… to stop him?â€
Shaelen lowered her head, her eyes looking over the red shades that rested upon the bridge of her nose. She arched one eyebrow. “What was I supposed to do? Knock him out? Tie him up? He wasn’t my prisoner. You just brought me here to make sure he woke up. Well, he woke up and wanted to leave.â€
The smuggler was met with a look of dismay. “Certainly he was not in any condition to...?â€
Shaelen rolled her shoulders again. “I have to give him some credit. The man is one tenacious bastard. Once he made up his mind to leave, nothing was going to stop him. Unless… you know, I knocked him out unconscious. Which I did consider! But…â€
Roen threw both hands up in the air, incredulous. “But…?â€
Shael uncrossed her legs, leaning forward, almost strangely casual... before saying, “He offered me a lot money.†She immediately bolted to her feet and held her hands up before Roen could reply. It may have been the heat Roen felt rising in her cheeks, or the rolling indignation that was twisting her face that prompted the smuggler to do so. “Now now, Ro, before you unsheath that sword or something crazy, let me explain!â€
Roen breathed once in, and once out. She somehow forced her voice to calm. “Explain.â€
Shael’s blue-grey eyes darted from the paladin’s face to her sword hand and weapon then back to her face. She parted her lips in a toothy smile, one that seemed to only vaguely hint at an apology. “He woke up and started asking a lot of questions. Where he was, who I was, and so on and so forth. I told him he was in a safe house and mentioned how you called on me to help him, and he seemed to calm a little. But he seemed set on leaving, saying that if he didn’t, his life was good as forfeit. I said you had a lot of questions for him, and likely didn’t mean him any harm. I mean, he would have died otherwise. He owed you, you know?†She sat back down, this time onto the bed. Her hand went to the tablet that laid upon it. “But he said either I stop him physically or that he will be on his way.â€
“I would have preferred that you stopped him physically.†Roen crossed her arms, her expression stern.
“I know!†Shael chimed back eagerly. “I considered it! But…I have a feel for these things. And while I could have forced him to stay since he wasn’t in any condition to put up much of a fight, he was likely going to be a lot less cooperative if we went there. So… I waited until he offered me a sizeable incentive, and said I’d release him on one condition.â€
“And what was that?â€
Shaelen scooped up the tablet and held it out for Roen. “He left you something. A message. Okay, a long message. I told him to record a confession, telling you everything you might want to know. He seemed to know what you wanted from him, but still he went on to say more.â€
Roen took the tablet in her hand, the screen lighting up as she activated it. She glanced from it to the Highlander seated on the bed. “You read it?â€
Shael made a face and snorted. “Of course! I had to be sure it was worth letting him go. I read it after he left, but I could have tracked him down if I needed to.â€
Roen felt some of her anger starting to fade, although her disappointment still lingered. “You better hope he left me what I needed to know,†she grumbled.
Shael crossed her legs, leaning back against the bed with both her hands splayed on the mattress. She shrugged, smiling coyly. “Or what, we’re no longer friends?†There was a cocky smirk to her lips as if she already knew the answer.
That only made Roen roll her eyes although she really had no appropriate retort for that. For as long as she has known the woman, the Highlander was impulsive and brash, with a streak of recklessness. It reminded her of another smuggler, and a part of her wondered if all pirates were this way. Or why she found herself always getting involved with these types of personalities. Roen quickly shook her head free of such silly questions and furrowed her brows. She still had not told Shael about Delial and Gharen’s involvement. With Taeros now gone to the winds, perhaps the encounter between them did not need to happen after all. She recalled the displeasure on Delial’s face when she informed her of Stormchild’s part in awakening Taeros. But for the sake of finding Harvard, Delial had agreed to a form of truce, or at least to not incite violence first should she and Shaelen ever cross paths. But now with circumstances being what they were, was it even necessary?
“Gharen told me he held you at knife point once,†Roen heard herself blurting out even before she knew it. “And went back on a deal he made to turn Delial over by having the Brass Blades arrest you.†Even now, she found those revelations unfathomable. When had Gharen and Shael’s relationship soured so?
Shael flicked her an odd look, some mirth fading from her face. “Why do you still come to my aid?†Roen asked as she regarded the smuggler, her question sincere.
The Highlander squinted her eyes, her lips pursed in thought. “Your brother did break his promise,†she said blandly. “But I knew he was bluffing when he held that knife to my back. As for turning me into the Brass Blades…†the smuggler snorted out a laughter. “Come on! If I couldn’t get out of some trouble with the Brass Blades, you’d think I’d still be in the business I’m in?â€
When Roen continued to study her looking somewhat perplexed, Shaelen sighed and shrugged. “In my line of work, you can’t hold minor grudges for too long. Else you run out of people to do business with. If they didn’t do you any real wrong, then you need to move on and do what you need to do to keep afloat. Don’t mean I will ever trust your brother though.
“You, on the other hand…†Shaelen cocked her head, giving Roen a long look over. “You’re easy to read and you wear your heart on your sleeve. I can see you coming from a malm away.†She shook a finger at her. “And well, as I recall, I am the one that knocked you upside the head first… and here you are still talking to me. What does that say?â€
Roen chewed her lower lip with some hesitation before she took a seat next to the smuggler. “So, you do not hold me accountable for what happened to Aylard?†It was a fear she had always kept deep within, one that she had tucked away and never voiced. But for some reason, she needed to ask now.
Shaelen went still, even her breathing seemed to cease for a moment. Her expression darkened. “No, that is all on the Kinslayer.†Her voice suddenly chilled as well as her demeanor. “That kind of wrong you never forgive. Or forget.â€
If Roen had thought that this was the opportunity to gently broach the subject of Delial’s involvement in all this, Shael’s cold disposition quickly changed her mind. Perhaps this was not the right time either. She looked onto her lap, her fingers absently tapping upon her leg. She did not like keeping secrets from those she considered friends.
“Gratitude,†she finally murmured. “For helping me. With Harvard, Mister North, and now Taeros.â€
Roen had not raised her gaze yet to look upon the Highlander, but when a shining metal object suddenly spun in front of her, she looked up. It was a silver Garlean timepiece. “You should probably have this.†Shaelen said, holding out the relic, the polished metal medallion hanging from a thin chain. “It belonged to Lazarov.â€
Roen blinked as she carefully cradled the watch in both hands. “How did you…â€
“He was lousy at cards!†She released the chain to let it fall onto fall into Roen’s hand, then hopped off the bed. “And I drank him under the table. Although he thought he was drinking me under the table. Ha!†When Roen regarded her with a bewildered look, the smuggler scratched her head sheepishly. “It was a long time ago.â€
Not knowing what to say, Roen returned her attention to the gift in her hand, her eyes combing over its details. This would be something that Nero would have cherished for himself. He did always love clockwork gadgets, and this was Garlean, no less. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Shael striding to the table, picking up her equipment and gun that laid there. The Highlander swung it over her shoulder and set the weapon to rest against her back, before looking at the paladin again. Roen was still at loss for words.
Rather than offering one of her usual wisecracks, Shaelen just gave her a nod, her smirk curling into a softer expression. “He wasn’t all bad.†To that, Roen just smiled.
“Okay, I’ll leave you alone with Taero’s latest diary entry. Enjoy!†The smuggler gave the air a vague salute before striding out the door.
