A Wizard's Peace - Chapter 1

The wedding and the break it had provided had been beautiful. The trio had not expected to be invited to the festivities in Waterdeep yet had been included warmly, enjoying the chance to catch up with friends after months dedicated almost entirely to rebuilding and reacclimating. Baldur’s Gate was feeling alive again and so were they as Cal, Rolan and Lia returned to their day to day lives in the city.

"Rolan's in loooove," Lia sing songed as she followed her brother around the tower. He snarled and glared at her several times but said nothing as he pretended to focus on various tasks instead.

"Wait what's this?" Cal finally asked as he found the pair, his amusement obvious as he observed Rolan's aggravation.

"Remember that beautiful red haired elf at the wedding? The bride's sister. Well, one of them. Apparently, she's a twin! Anyway, the one this lout was staring at all night and only managed to talk to twice... He's been moon-eyed over her ever since," Lia explained, taking a little too much delight at Rolan’s expense over the situation.

Rolan heaved a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before he spoke. "Will you just stop? Raya is a kind woman. Of course I enjoyed speaking with her. Why do you have to be such a philistine?"

Cal continued to observe, hiding a smile as Lia snickered. "Rolan you could just invite her out or something. I did hear Aleida mentioning to Gale that she's spending time in Baldur's Gate now to help refugees."

Rolan dropped the book he was holding and fumbled to catch it before it hit the floor. "Wait, what?!"

Cal fought laughter, clearing his throat before he spoke. "So, where's she staying, Lia?"

"Oh, I don't know...," she trailed off, feigning ignorance ever so poorly. Rolan simply stared in exasperation until Lia sighed and turned a winning smile up at him. "I may have also heard something about the Elfsong..."

"I have errands to run..." Rolan announced abruptly, the book shoved onto a shelf out of place before he all but ran out the door. Cal and Lia were left looking at one another and then at where Rolan had made his expeditious retreat.

"He's going to bungle this, isn't he."

"I'd be willing to bet a whole sack of coin on it."

The siblings smiled at one another, shook their heads and waited to see how events played out.

~~~~~

Travel was always a mixed bag in Raya’s mind. She was grateful for the magical portals her new brother-in-law had been able to allow her use of but that did nothing to make a strange city at all familiar. Aleida had been kind in creating a detailed map for her at least, a map she was busy studying as she stood on a street corner near the famous Elfsong Tavern.

“This must be it…,” she uttered softly to herself, turning just in time to find herself all but run over by a rushing passer-by.

“Sorry, so sorry,” the man mumbled distractedly as he reached to help right her once he was steady himself. His robes were disheveled amid his haste, his dark hair wind tossed and his amber gaze a thousand miles away until he took a second glance. “Raya!” he gasped.

The petite elf tilted her head as she looked up at the tiefling, her austere garb and head covering doing little to take away from the striking nature of her finely carved and freckled features. "Oh! I met you at Aleida's wedding, no?" came her tentative reply.

"Yes, indeed. Rolan, of Ramazith's Tower," he reintroduced himself, adding belated bow. He had not thought what to say beyond that, fear starting to make his palms sweat as he looked back at her. It was all he could do not to get lost staring into eyes so green.

"And I am Raya Amberleaf. No... tower, or anything," came her sheepish response.

"Of course, of course. I... I just came to see if you might require anything. It was mentioned you'd be staying in the city, and it would not be fair to leave you on your own out here..."

"Oh, I shall not be entirely alone," Raya interrupted, her mellow voice sweet and bright. "Aleida has sent word to Jaheira and her family, in case I do not find the inn agreeable. The inn, that I am not sure I am finding so easily.”

"I see," Rolan answered, a knot of panic leaving his mouth dry. He subtly shifted his weight from one foot to the other, floundering for words. "Well, if they are busy, you can always come to the tower as well. If you'd like, of course. Cal and Lia will be there as well. I would be happy to give you a tour."

"That would be so kind of you," the elf answered, her smile leaving the poor tiefling weak in the knees. "I would like that."

"Then... then a tour you shall have. May I call upon you tomorrow morning? At the inn, of course, which is conveniently just over there" he indicated, almost holding his breath as he awaited her answer to his offer.

"Oh thank you for that! Yes, tomorrow then at the inn that is just straight over there," she answered, smiling still.

"Then tomorrow morning it shall be, Miss Raya. Until then," he said with a curt bow of his head. Rolan turned, attempting to walk away so proudly until he accidentally bumped into a passer-by who was not so charitable as the last person he’d bumped in to. Raya glanced away, pretending not to see and only looking back to where he was when he was safely underway.

"Tomorrow morning indeed," Raya said softly to herself, still grinning as she went into the inn to claim a room and rest.