Post by gathera on Mar 11, 2007 11:13:42 GMT -5
A Killing Frost
It was one of the seedier parts of town an inn one well known locally for its discretion. A few stubborn tallow candles dimly lit a bare spartan room. Scattered about the inn were a few clusters of hooded men huddled closely together speaking in hushed tones. I had decided, more to the point it seemed almost decided for me time to leave Waterdeep. At any rate it would be one last fling before I stepped out into the unknown. I must have been drunk, even more than my usual to loosen my tongue that night.
“You’ll never leave,” grinned Calmish. He was a broad shoulder man shaven bald as was the latest style here. His simple dark clothes seemed in stark contrast to the heavy gold bands he wore. Calmish always was a man of contrasts. Still his easy manner and a quick broad smile made him the only reason I had stayed as long in Waterdeep as I had. It was time to leave and I would be damned if something was not telling me just that. Just one of those feelings, it was time to go and now.
“No I am gone, leave tomorrow” Heh I thought to myself he doesn’t believe a word of this.
“You’ll never leave, your ol’man beat the tar out of you” Calmish looked at me grinning. “Heh that drunken fool he be lucky to live if he ever places a hand on me again”. Calmish simply looked at me silently for a moment idly circling the tankard rim with his finger.
“You’ve changed Char and not just the hair colour either.” “What gives”?
“Nothing gives certainly never me” I answered back with a smirk, ”Can’t a girl try a new fashion” Calmish simply rolled his eyes and drained the tankard dry. “Gods above Char why of all things white”?
“Reminds me of things Cal” I replied. “What”, he snorted, “ reminds me that you lost your mind Char” “Heh even a Sunnite wouldn’t pick that god awful color”. “Heh going all pure on me eh” Cal grinned mischievously.
I stuck my tongue out at him with a quick smirk. “Heh pure as the driven snow” I countered. Calmish leaned back and roared,” To bad its’ melted eh,” he chortled. I just laughed and reached over to top up both mugs. “It just felt right Cal, just a quirk”.
“Heh a quirk would be purple”. “No its no quirk this, you kept that colour for better than a week now”. “That’s a longer time than anything else I have ever see you do”. “Besides what’s with all the new habits eh”? , Cal retorted looking stern. “I mean up late nights just staring out the window”. “ Even bloody Helm couldn’t see what it is that you are looking at.”
“Thought you liked a girl with a few bad habits eh Cal”? “Maybe I just like to look at the skies eh” I countered. “Skies heh” Calshim turned his head to spit. “Hardly, Char I know you, at least I thought I did”. “What is it then, Guild trouble”? “Pay the damn tax, you know their rules” “Give the guild its’ cut or they cut you, its simple enough”. Calshim sighed “but then things with you are never simple eh”? “Why leave Char then, why”?
“My choice Cal” I answered back testily more than a bit drunk and a bit annoyed. “I am my own woman and no one tells me what I can bloody well do”. I looked at Calshim instantly regretting my choice of words.
“Except to leave,” Calshim countered. “Why leave the shining city for that arse-wipe of a village”? Calmish seemed both a bit puzzled and a bit hurt. “Its called Isinhold some backwater in Cormyr” I replied. “I don’t know why I just have to”. “Don’t ask” I replied with a sour look.
“Then its’ gambling again”? A look of annoyance crossed his face. “Char you know I will cover your mark”. “Why in Beshaba’s name, it’s the end of the bloody Toril that place”. “Isinhold, heh, more like it’s a hole” he grinned winking.
“Drawn there Cal, drawn there” “You wouldn’t understand anyway”. “Try me Char, you owe me that much at least”. I studied Calshim’s face for a moment, the look of concern that still lingered in his eyes then coldly replied, “Fine then, I will tell you”. I stared at him for a moment steadying myself against a wellspring of emotions bubbling with in me.
“ I can see the image now always, just have to close my eyes and it is there Cal, a book”. “It was like nothing I have seen before”, my voice taking on a reverent tone. “Each page was gilded with gold right round around the edge”. “I still remember holding it between my thumb and forefinger” “My hand must have shook when I touched the page” “It was a sharp edge, cut your hand quick as a knife” as I chuckled softly for a moment, “Still have the scar to prove it”, I said holding up my thumb. “Funny thing though, the blood never stained the page”. “Disappeared right before my eyes” “Damn good thing heh, book like that ruined”.
“It’s a book,” replied Calmish smirking and wriggling his fingers out at me. I slapped his hand away chuckling, ”Not bloody likely”. “Still never seen anything finer” as I settled back into my chair. “The pages “, shaking my head “it had velum pages as white as driven snow and so bright that it stung my eyes”. “Each letters crafted of the purest gold”. “Every letter carved right into the page like it was fine dwarven stone work”. “It was like looking at the stars in the heavens except cast down right onto the page”. “Every letter was a glowing point of light”. “You could loose yourself in those letters”. Absent-minded I ran my hand across the well-marked table, “Funny thing is if I close my eyes it is just like I can still reach out and touch the page”. “Soft as down, such a strange feeling really, almost alive”. “Gave you a glow just to run your fingers across it.” “I remember it, feeling like I was all golden inside.”
“Heh” Calmish smirked, “More like the tithe coins jingling in your pocket being golden”. I flashed him an angry look that surprised the both of us. He looked at me a bit hurt and puzzled, but I was in a mood to talk that night so I let the moment pass.
“If I close my eyes I can still see the words inside my head crystal clear as the day I read it.” “Each word, each single words had such a clarity”. “It was if your whole life could be explained in a sentence”. “Everything made sense then.” “You, me, here” I muttered softly, “everything”. “Ever have that Cal, that special kind of feeling”? “I am tired of this …life”, as my hands swept across the table. “Its meaningless pointless”. “Sitting in a bar drinking day in day out and when I am not doing that wandering out to break a few heads for a coin or two“ “Little else but to join the guild and make those greasy…” slamming the empty tankard down firmly on the table. “I can have more much more, more that I ever dreamed was possible” as a stark look of seriousness crossed my face “A purpose a reason to live, be more than just some lowlife grifter, to be needed” as I stared numbly at the table.
“I need you Char, stay” Calmish replied with a surprising earnestness in his voice.
“Heh, more like you need me in bed eh”? “Be too many dead soldiers on this battlefield for that”, my hand gesturing to plain brown jugs. “Doubt you can even find the straps anyway.”
“Don’t Char, I mean it, stay” a touching look of concern crossed Calmishs’ face. “This is madness, just listen to yourself, all this talk over a Oghama accursed book”. “I mean now if it was gold heh, that’s different” “You don’t even have the blasted thing at least then you could have fenced it eh”.
A roiling storm of dark anger flashed across my face, “NEVER”.
“Char it’s not like you…this” “If you have to leave so be It.” Cal spoke with a sudden intensity “You, me we can both go anywhere just not Isinhold”. “Leave with me this night, the world will be ours”. “Just promise me, not Isinhold anywhere but there”.
I stopped quiet for a moment then simply shook my head, “No, Cal This is me.” “It’s the real me. I am going that’s final”. “Don’t try to stop me, I mean it”, my voice took on a cold edge. “Talk of this Cal to any one and I mean any one and I will gut you”. My tone clearly shocked him silent but I didn’t care.
He said nothing but simply stared at me with a sad sullen quietness. I could not bring myself to meet his gaze. Calmish set down the half finished drink steady himself and walked out through the door. More to the point I sat back and watched him leave. I rubbed my temples to ease the throbbing in my head. “Tomorrow” I promised myself, I would leave tomorrow.
It was one of the seedier parts of town an inn one well known locally for its discretion. A few stubborn tallow candles dimly lit a bare spartan room. Scattered about the inn were a few clusters of hooded men huddled closely together speaking in hushed tones. I had decided, more to the point it seemed almost decided for me time to leave Waterdeep. At any rate it would be one last fling before I stepped out into the unknown. I must have been drunk, even more than my usual to loosen my tongue that night.
“You’ll never leave,” grinned Calmish. He was a broad shoulder man shaven bald as was the latest style here. His simple dark clothes seemed in stark contrast to the heavy gold bands he wore. Calmish always was a man of contrasts. Still his easy manner and a quick broad smile made him the only reason I had stayed as long in Waterdeep as I had. It was time to leave and I would be damned if something was not telling me just that. Just one of those feelings, it was time to go and now.
“No I am gone, leave tomorrow” Heh I thought to myself he doesn’t believe a word of this.
“You’ll never leave, your ol’man beat the tar out of you” Calmish looked at me grinning. “Heh that drunken fool he be lucky to live if he ever places a hand on me again”. Calmish simply looked at me silently for a moment idly circling the tankard rim with his finger.
“You’ve changed Char and not just the hair colour either.” “What gives”?
“Nothing gives certainly never me” I answered back with a smirk, ”Can’t a girl try a new fashion” Calmish simply rolled his eyes and drained the tankard dry. “Gods above Char why of all things white”?
“Reminds me of things Cal” I replied. “What”, he snorted, “ reminds me that you lost your mind Char” “Heh even a Sunnite wouldn’t pick that god awful color”. “Heh going all pure on me eh” Cal grinned mischievously.
I stuck my tongue out at him with a quick smirk. “Heh pure as the driven snow” I countered. Calmish leaned back and roared,” To bad its’ melted eh,” he chortled. I just laughed and reached over to top up both mugs. “It just felt right Cal, just a quirk”.
“Heh a quirk would be purple”. “No its no quirk this, you kept that colour for better than a week now”. “That’s a longer time than anything else I have ever see you do”. “Besides what’s with all the new habits eh”? , Cal retorted looking stern. “I mean up late nights just staring out the window”. “ Even bloody Helm couldn’t see what it is that you are looking at.”
“Thought you liked a girl with a few bad habits eh Cal”? “Maybe I just like to look at the skies eh” I countered. “Skies heh” Calshim turned his head to spit. “Hardly, Char I know you, at least I thought I did”. “What is it then, Guild trouble”? “Pay the damn tax, you know their rules” “Give the guild its’ cut or they cut you, its simple enough”. Calshim sighed “but then things with you are never simple eh”? “Why leave Char then, why”?
“My choice Cal” I answered back testily more than a bit drunk and a bit annoyed. “I am my own woman and no one tells me what I can bloody well do”. I looked at Calshim instantly regretting my choice of words.
“Except to leave,” Calshim countered. “Why leave the shining city for that arse-wipe of a village”? Calmish seemed both a bit puzzled and a bit hurt. “Its called Isinhold some backwater in Cormyr” I replied. “I don’t know why I just have to”. “Don’t ask” I replied with a sour look.
“Then its’ gambling again”? A look of annoyance crossed his face. “Char you know I will cover your mark”. “Why in Beshaba’s name, it’s the end of the bloody Toril that place”. “Isinhold, heh, more like it’s a hole” he grinned winking.
“Drawn there Cal, drawn there” “You wouldn’t understand anyway”. “Try me Char, you owe me that much at least”. I studied Calshim’s face for a moment, the look of concern that still lingered in his eyes then coldly replied, “Fine then, I will tell you”. I stared at him for a moment steadying myself against a wellspring of emotions bubbling with in me.
“ I can see the image now always, just have to close my eyes and it is there Cal, a book”. “It was like nothing I have seen before”, my voice taking on a reverent tone. “Each page was gilded with gold right round around the edge”. “I still remember holding it between my thumb and forefinger” “My hand must have shook when I touched the page” “It was a sharp edge, cut your hand quick as a knife” as I chuckled softly for a moment, “Still have the scar to prove it”, I said holding up my thumb. “Funny thing though, the blood never stained the page”. “Disappeared right before my eyes” “Damn good thing heh, book like that ruined”.
“It’s a book,” replied Calmish smirking and wriggling his fingers out at me. I slapped his hand away chuckling, ”Not bloody likely”. “Still never seen anything finer” as I settled back into my chair. “The pages “, shaking my head “it had velum pages as white as driven snow and so bright that it stung my eyes”. “Each letters crafted of the purest gold”. “Every letter carved right into the page like it was fine dwarven stone work”. “It was like looking at the stars in the heavens except cast down right onto the page”. “Every letter was a glowing point of light”. “You could loose yourself in those letters”. Absent-minded I ran my hand across the well-marked table, “Funny thing is if I close my eyes it is just like I can still reach out and touch the page”. “Soft as down, such a strange feeling really, almost alive”. “Gave you a glow just to run your fingers across it.” “I remember it, feeling like I was all golden inside.”
“Heh” Calmish smirked, “More like the tithe coins jingling in your pocket being golden”. I flashed him an angry look that surprised the both of us. He looked at me a bit hurt and puzzled, but I was in a mood to talk that night so I let the moment pass.
“If I close my eyes I can still see the words inside my head crystal clear as the day I read it.” “Each word, each single words had such a clarity”. “It was if your whole life could be explained in a sentence”. “Everything made sense then.” “You, me, here” I muttered softly, “everything”. “Ever have that Cal, that special kind of feeling”? “I am tired of this …life”, as my hands swept across the table. “Its meaningless pointless”. “Sitting in a bar drinking day in day out and when I am not doing that wandering out to break a few heads for a coin or two“ “Little else but to join the guild and make those greasy…” slamming the empty tankard down firmly on the table. “I can have more much more, more that I ever dreamed was possible” as a stark look of seriousness crossed my face “A purpose a reason to live, be more than just some lowlife grifter, to be needed” as I stared numbly at the table.
“I need you Char, stay” Calmish replied with a surprising earnestness in his voice.
“Heh, more like you need me in bed eh”? “Be too many dead soldiers on this battlefield for that”, my hand gesturing to plain brown jugs. “Doubt you can even find the straps anyway.”
“Don’t Char, I mean it, stay” a touching look of concern crossed Calmishs’ face. “This is madness, just listen to yourself, all this talk over a Oghama accursed book”. “I mean now if it was gold heh, that’s different” “You don’t even have the blasted thing at least then you could have fenced it eh”.
A roiling storm of dark anger flashed across my face, “NEVER”.
“Char it’s not like you…this” “If you have to leave so be It.” Cal spoke with a sudden intensity “You, me we can both go anywhere just not Isinhold”. “Leave with me this night, the world will be ours”. “Just promise me, not Isinhold anywhere but there”.
I stopped quiet for a moment then simply shook my head, “No, Cal This is me.” “It’s the real me. I am going that’s final”. “Don’t try to stop me, I mean it”, my voice took on a cold edge. “Talk of this Cal to any one and I mean any one and I will gut you”. My tone clearly shocked him silent but I didn’t care.
He said nothing but simply stared at me with a sad sullen quietness. I could not bring myself to meet his gaze. Calmish set down the half finished drink steady himself and walked out through the door. More to the point I sat back and watched him leave. I rubbed my temples to ease the throbbing in my head. “Tomorrow” I promised myself, I would leave tomorrow.