What REALLY happened to Imoen (a novel)

[Fiend]

Galadria, Awesome!! 2 things;
1; where did u get ur inspiration from??
2; thought about making it a film!?!? [img]graemlins/director.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]
I want to see more!!

[ 09-01-2002, 06:35 PM: Message edited by: Fiend ]

[Galadria]

LOL, thanks, Fiend. I was inspired by the rage that I felt for the ending of TOB, especially by what they did to Imoen and Viconia, so I asked myself, "What would have they done?" Imoen would never have gone running off with Elminster. So, the rest of this just started pouring out. Sometimes I couldn't type fast enough. No, I've never thought about a movie, thanks for asking. As for some more,just stick around.

[Fiend]

IMHO, the best ending for TOB-apart from yours! is jans, that was quite funny.
Now as for the worst ANOMENS. I hate him and his ending, i only used to take him 'cause he could romance a female pc i had in one of my many many games.

[Kaltia]

Ah, i love it [img]smile.gif[/img]
I had to go for my dinner, too...Kebab, but i didn't like it *sob*
sorry, random comment. *a-hem*
More, Galadria! Pleaaaaaaaase?

[Galadria]

LOL, you shoulda been at my house for dinner. I got rave reviews (AND requests for seconds, which mean more) Here is some more.

A few days later, Cythera and Odo arrived. Sefa was out in the stableyard, as ordered, practising archery with a determined Noemi. Sefa had just missed the target for the fourth time, and the redhead's temper had begun to flare.
"Sefa," she had shouted,"the target is at that end of the yard, not this. Keep your eye on your target, and loose the bowstring smoothly!" Sefa's arm was aching with the effort of holding the little bow, and a blister was forming on her right forefinger. She was about to ask her stern taskmaster for a little break, when a commotion was heard at the front of the house. Their glances met, and with one accord they broke off the practice and sprinted excitedly to the front court.
They were rewarded with the sight of five beautiful horses coming in the front gate, pulling a large carriage bearing, amid many packages, Odo and Cythera. Noemi hopped excitedly, and ran to hug Odo by the neck, to his obvious pleasure. She then repeated the greeting, more sedately, to Cythera, who offered her a cheek colored by the brisk wind to kiss. Sefa stood apart, shyly. Cythera noticed , and turned to her, opening her arms. Sefa ran into the blonde wizard's embrace, and was given a warm buss. "Sefa, my dear," she said, "So good to see you." She turned to her redheaded friend, who was talking excitedly to Odo about their trip, "Em, how nice to see you so...exhuberant."
Noemi laughed at her friend's tact. "Yeah, Cyth, everything's going all right with me. For a change. Come on," she urged, "Gal's inside."
As they trooped through the front door, Cythera fell in beside Sefa to murmur, "Any news of Morgul?"
Sefa smiled at her conspiratorial air. She shook her head decisively. "Nope. And not likely to be, I hear."
Cythera looked faintly surprised and asked, "What do you hear?"
Sefa put her finger to her pursed lips mysteriously. She had been eavesdropping when Attalus had said goodbye to the apprentice at the door, and heard the youth tell the big knight that he would never return to a house that contained Noemi. Cythera just shook her head in exasperation.
They entered the study and were greeted by Galadria. The two mages embraced, and Odo was immediately hailed by Attalus who had come in having likewise heard the ruckus. The two went off to the basement after Odo had said hello to Galadria. The blonde knight had a new barrel of wine he wanted Odo's opinion on, and his wife knew that they would not be seen again until dinner.
All the women including Sefa were invited to sit around the great table. There in the center sat the scrying bowl and plate, but there were plenty of other items of interest as well. Sefa stared in fascination at a small stuffed monster, and wondered what magical purpose it served.
"So, Gal," Cythera began, "what progress have you made? Where is the mysterious Lost Temple of the Dawn? When do we go to risk our necks again?" This was accompanied with a confident smile. Lady Cythera had no doubts whatever that her friend had found out something.
"Well, Cyth, since you ask," Galadria replied, " I have made some progress." She went to the section of the bookshelf that contained the large volumes and hauled out a big one indeed, locked shut with seamless bands of bronze. She plunked it onto the table before the blonde enchantress, who sneezed in the dust shower it kicked up.
Sefa stared at the volume with wonder. The only books she was used to were the elementary reading texts she was studying, and they were no comparison to this. She had made some progress in her reading, aided by tutorials from Lady Galadria herself. The dark mage was a much gentler teacher than the impatient Noemi. She found herself wishing that the Lady would teach her archery when her attention was drawn back to the table as her mistress was performing an incantation over the massive volume. She only caught the last word.
"Tezzit," finished Galadria. To Sefa's delight, the bands popped open. Cythera bent over the book, as her friend turned to a page seemingly just before the end, marked with a purple ribbon, and Sefa and Noemi craned to see.
It was a map. Sefa was completely confused, as she had never seen one before. Noemi, though, knew maps and saw at once that this was one of the Taliburnen Desert, though very old and outdated.
"I was looking for a temple of Lathander, since he is the dawn god, but all his temples seem to be known, " Galadria was saying, " Some of them are deserted and unused, some have been destroyed, and some have been converted to other purposes. But they are all accounted for. The Archivist of the temple here is sure of it. They are very careful of these things, as the cult has to consecrate each one, and has kept a complete record since ancient times.
"But," she added, and was rewarded by the looks of anticipation on their faces, "I was looking in his older scrolls, and I found an old one indeed. It was faded and worn, and I had to employ translation magic, but this is what it had to say." She took from her sleeve the very scroll, and spread it out next to the book with the map, Sefa was even more lost. It was hard enough to make out the clear print of her reading books, but this scroll seemed covered with bewildering marks, even with different colors on what seemed to be the same ones. She began to wonder if she had what it took to be a mage like the Lady, or even Noemi.
"Gal, I do not doubt you," Cythera murmured, "but to me this seems but random scribbles."
"Gal," Noemi cried, "this is some trick. Show us." Sefa felt a little better.
"All right," said the dark magician, with a smile. She gestured at the scroll. "Imech, bulurn, omes di" she shouted. The scribbles resolved into legible print, though the papyrus smoked. They all crowded over it.
"This tells," Galadria explained, "of a rival cult of the dawn, ages ago. These beings claimed that Lathander was not the god of the dawn, but an imposter. They prayed to a rival deity that they called Eos. As a result of this, Lathander himself was angered and commanded his faithful to wage war on this herectical cult. Bryn Bwchat, a neighboring king, was a devotee of the god, and he appeared to his royal worshipper in a vision, demanding that the king put himself at the head of his army and march on this temple, or be forever denied the god's favor. He at once did, invading his neighbor, routing the army that was sent against him, and destroyed the temple, killing and scattering the new god's followers. This old map marks the site where it was."
"So," Cythera murmured in comprehension, "the Lost Temple of the Dawn. When do we ride? "

[Galadria]

Originally posted by Fiend: IMHO, the best ending for TOB-apart from yours! is jans, that was quite funny. Now as for the worst ANOMENS. I hate him and his ending, i only used to take him 'cause he could romance a female pc i had in one of my many many games.

LOL, I wouldn't know. I am on record (see my sig ) as loathing Anomen, and I'm not that fond of Jan.

[Kaltia]

Aww, cheers, hun
Though i think my parents might object if I ask to fly out to Texas for someone's cooking [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Galadria]

LOL, I don't see why not. We could go to Six Flags and shopping at the Galleria and all of the things that I can't get Attalus to do. Some more.

Galadria smiled grimly. "I am not sure, but it should be soon. It is winter, and I understand that summers are brutal in the Taliburnan Desert. We must consult the signs.to find the best date."

The next day, the mages and their apprentice trooped to the Temple of the Stars, to have their quest blessed with a propitious departure date. Sefa was about to go in her everyday clothes, but Cythera, scandalized, sent her back upstairs to dress in her recently purchased best. The little blonde had no intention of appearing at such an important temple with a girl in a leather dress, well-worn at that. Even her servants were not allowed to dress so, and the noblewoman thought much more highly of Sefa. She had only a few days before taken Sefa to the clothier to buy her what she considered "suitable" rainment for a girl of her new station. The outfit she had settled on consisted of a crimson velvet cloak with an attached hood trimmed with black fur, a black silk tunic with matching trousers, and high black boots. She had also bought some sandals, but those would be for warmer weather. Sefa was enchanted with these new clothes, but rather afraid to wear them.
At the temple, they described their proposed enterprise to the old diviner, along with pertinent information like birth dates. He promised to study the signs and the stars and come up with the most fortunate day for their setoff, and took his fee. As they left, Sefa skipped down the steps of the main edifice ahead of her companions, proud of her new clothes and glad to be alive on this beautiful day. Her new boots rang on the marble, and the crimson cloak billowed in the fresh breeze. She made a brave sight, in the bright winter sunlight against the white marble, and the mages all smiled to see her youth and exhuberance. Galadria felt a strange new maternal twinge.
On the way back, Cythera turned in her carriage seat to Sefa. "Dear one, will you show me where you lived, before you came to be one of us?" she asked sweetly. Sefa shifted uncomfortably. She had managed to forget just about everything about her previous life since this golden chance had come to her. Now it all came rushing back. She felt guilty at not wondering about her erstwhile friends. Now, maybe she could do something to help them. She had another thought. "Lady Cythera. do you really want to go there?" she asked diffidently, "It's really not the type of place you're used to."
The others all roared with laughter. When they regained control of themselves, Noemi managed to gasp,"Yeah, tell her about that time in the sewers, Cyth. That time that Gal sent you down to the drain to retrieve that withered hand out of the water."
"Water,? That's a nice name for it. Hush up, Em, you weren't even there." the blonde mage reproved. "How about the time I had to stretch out over that corpse to disarm a trap, and got blood all over my robe? "
"Or the time I sent you over to the place where that dwarf disappeared," contributed Galadria,"and he reappeared out of the privy when you were trying to dispel his invisibility. Splashed stuff all over you."
"Not just 'stuff,'" Cythera demurred grimly, "he stabbed me, too."
"Yeah, Cyth," Noemi crowed, "but Odo healed you right away, and all you griped about was your robe.'"
Sefa stared at the jesting women. She guessed that going into the slums wouldn't be much of a problem for Lady Cythera.

The carriage pulled up in front of the dank, forbidding building containing the basement where Sefa once slept. The four stepped into the cellar from a sidewalk entrance that seemed to be boarded up. Sefa had touched it in a certain place, and it had pivoted noisily open. Noemi and Cythera exchanged knowing glances. "Invisible latch," commented Noemi.
"With warning creak," added Cythera. "Sefa, dear, remind me to show you how to open doors like that without it's making that sound. Sometimes it alerts the guards." Actually, Sefa already knew. She had intentionally let it sound to warn her friends that they had visitors, but she was surprised that the dainty blonde would pick up on it so fast.
Immediately, as they entered the vast cold room, they were surrounded by ragged children, ranging in age and size from very small to rather large. The seeming leader brandished a long dagger. Several others wielded clubs and smaller knives.
Their leader seemed to look them over in the dim light, trying to figure out why four well-dressed females would be invading his domain. He tried to weigh what dangers they might pose, versus their value as victims. He decided completely wrong. He brandished his knife. "Okay," he growled," put down all your jewels and gold and we may let you live." Several of his followers made comments about their looks and desirability, to put it in the politest terms. Which they didn't.
Noemi merely gestured and spoke two magical words. The leader's knife glowed white and exploded in drops of molten metal all over his hand. Painfully, judging from his howls. He and his cronies fled.
"Suth, Naba," shouted the girl, "it's me, you know, Sefa! These are my friends. But the rest of you'd better quit bothering them, or they'll hurt you. They're wizards. And this is Lady Galadria. Remember, you told me about her. You said she was the only nice mage in the city." Most of the shadowy figures had melted into the dark, but two came slowly forward, a ragged boy and girl about the same size as Sefa. Cythera lit a magical light which drove the darkness further back, revealing scuttling figures, not all of them human.
The two children came into the light. Sefa greeted them. "Suth, hi," she cried as she hugged the boy, "how are you? And Naba. I've missed you."
They peered intently without smiling at their erstwhile companion. Sefa did not realise how altered she seemed to these urchins. She had gained some much-needed weight and looked clean and glowing with health, resplendent in her new finery. Her curly hair, chestnut brown, peeked out from the black fur of the hood and her fair skin was suffused with color. She seemed a vision of wealth and beauty, especially with these obviously powerful women with her. Sudden prosperity is always suspicious. What was her connection to the robed figures?
The girl, Naba, replied first. "Sefa, it is you. You've changed. Why are you with these wizards?" She thought she knew the answer. They had all heard described by pimp recruiters of the life of luxury led by the well-paid child prostitutes of the city's brothels. In reality, as Sefa had told Noemi, the lives of these unfortunates was grim. "What are you now, a pleasure slave? What do these women want?"
""Yeah," added the boy, "are they madames? Trying to get new blood? Not me," he finished defiantly.
Sefa drew back in horror as her companions looked rather disconcerted, except Noemi, who just smiled grimly. "I'm not anyone's slave," she replied indignantly. "I told you, this is Lady Galadria, and her sister and her friend. She's taken me in, and I'm going to learn to be a mage, just like they are. They just wanted to see where I used to live."
"Well, now they've seen," Suth said angrily. "What do they want, a freak show? Get out!"
Sefa's vision blurred as her eyes filled with tears. She ran back to Galadria and buried her face in her robe. As the dark mage soothed the tearful girl, Cythera came forward and addressed the pair. "I'm afraid this was my fault. I wanted to see the place that could produce our Sefa. I thought it must be a very special place, but I see now that its only that she is a very special girl. But I don't want to leave with you thinking that we came down here to gloat over you. I want to help. I know coin must be in short supply. Can I offer you some, to buy clothing and food, to make the winter easier?"
Naba spoke, then. "Coin's always short, here. Yeah, we'll take your money, because we need it to live. But it'll be gone, we'll spend it, and still be poor. I still don't know what you're doing with Sefa, but I don't think you're harming her. I didn't know she could look like that." She shot an envious glance at Sefa's clothing. "What I envy Sefa more is that you have given her something I think I'll never have, and that is a chance out of here."
Cythera smiled at that. As she gave them some silver she said, "You are well-spoken. You can think. I believe that if you find what Sefa found, that you might get your chance, too."
Naba took the coins as Suth stood there glaring. She looked up into the beautiful blonde woman's eyes. "And what's that, Lady?"
"Hope," Cythera replied, and the mages turned away with the still sniffling Sefa.
"Wait," she got out as they reached the door. She ran back to Naba and stopped in front of her. She bent down briefly and pulled her old knife from her boot. "Here, Naba, you always liked it, before," she said shortly, proffering it. She had decided against giving them any of her money. It would probably just make Suth madder, and cause more hurtful remarks. As the girl reached eagerly for the little blade, Suth indeed said scornfully,"I guess you've got a better 'un, now. Why don't you give her that one, too?" As Sefa stiffened at the very idea of giving up Strike, he went on, "Don't your fine new friends keep you well-supplied? What's the catch, Sefa? Rich folks don't just do that much for the likes of us, unless they want somethin' out of 'em."
Sefa turned to him angrily. "Suth, you're mean. How can you say such things? They're nice. They don't want anything of me but that I learn magic. You don't know them. They've been wonderful to me."
Suth was unimpressed. "Just wanted you for a pet, huh?" he retorted, "Pretty little girl about dresses up the place? Just you wait 'till you do something they don't like, or one of their men starts sneaking into your room at night."
"You don't know them!" Sefa repeated shrilly, "They're not like that. If they were what you say, you'd be dead. Any one of them could have killed you. My Lady could have killed you all! And all they did was melt Bobu's knife. I know what, Suth, you just think they're like you. Maybe that's what you'd do if you had me in your house. If you had a house."
Suth's face grew red with fury. "No, I don't have a house, bitch," he replied, "but if I did, and you weren't hooked up with your wizard friends, you'd have come crawling."
The mages had returned to either side of Sefa, and Galadria put her hand to her shoulder. "Come, Sefa," she said soothingly, "you'll not change his mind by threatening him or insulting him"
"Yeah," said Noemi, her temper beginning to fray, "we'd better get out of here, before I melt something besides a knife." As her sister walked away with the indignant Sefa, the redhead kept her gaze locked on the still defiant boy.
Cythera put her arm around her shoulders. "Don't, Em," she said softly," he's just a boy who's had a rough time."
"Uh huh," her friend replied, not taking her eyes off of Suth, "I haven't exactly had an easy one myself, but I don't go around insulting people who don't mean me any harm."
Some of the anger seemed to drain out of the boy, and he began to look frightened, realisinng the danger of his situation. Noemi had begun to weave her hands. Cythera gently grasped them, stopping the invocation, and turned to the two children. "You two run along," she commanded. Suth and Naba whirled and disappeared into the shadows. The blonde mage then led Noemi out, still angry but beginning to calm down.
As they gathered in the carriage, Sefa turned to Galadria, tears back in her eyes,"My Lady," she said haltingly, "I'm so sorry. I thought they were my friends. Why don't they like me any more?"
It was Noemi who answered first: "Sefa, you committed the unpardonable sin of succeeding where they are not even failing well," she spat.
Galadria gave her sister a frown and a little shake of the head, and she instantly subsided, muttering. She turned to Sefa and hugged her. "In truth," she said after a little thought, "I'm sure Noemi is partly right. They could be just jealous, and it is a nasty fact of human nature that some people resent success in their friends. But, think, you were once as they, their daily assocate and comrade, but then you disappear on a mysterious errand." Sefa turned to her and smiled a little..
"Don't you think they were worried when you didn't come back? Who knows what theories they dreamed up to explain your continuing absence?" the mage continued. "They knew you were going to my house?" Sefa reluctantly nodded. "Then they almost certainly assumed the worst. You were dead or my captive. My reputation as a white magician was a lie. What to do? Nothing. Why bother the watch? Who would care about a street urchin missing, they could have reasoned. Knock at my door and inquire as to your whereabouts? This indeed wouuld seem the sensible thing to do, but I feel they would have been frightened. After all, for all they knew, you had done just that and disappeared. Then, one day, all unexpected, you reappear, with strangers obviously above their station. What was the first thing that went through their heads? Their fears were true, you had been captured, and now the evil sorceress and her minions " She waved her hand to indicate her sister and Cythera. Noemi giggled reluctantly. "Appear to take them, too. I do not imagine it is easy to survive in such a place without a modicum of caution, so fear and defiance were called for. I think that this is the right of it."
Sefa nodded in unhappy agreement, She should have seen to it, previously, that her friends had word of her fate. But things had all been so exciting. She wished that she had broached the suject earlier. Then, maybe the Lady would have let her come down here to let them know what had happened. Perhaps seeing her in Noemi's old tunic wouldn't have caused such hostility. Going down there alone, without permission never occurred to her. She was the Lady Galadria's apprentice, heart and soul, and doing anything that might possibly lose her good opinion was just unthinkable. Without the Lady, to her mind, she was lost.
Cythera was sitting on the facing seat opposite with Noemi, and she leaned forward. "Sefa," she said," I know you're upset right now, because the reunion didn't go as you wished, but remember, it was just the boy, Suth, who was hostile to you. The girl - Naba, was it?- would have been more welcoming, I think. Do you think that Suth had...feelings...for you? That would account for his jealousy and hostility."
"I don't know, Lady Cythera," Sefa replied honestly, "it was always us three, ever since I can remember. There was never any talk of...love. Just friendship and loyalty."
"Just, " the blonde mage said, "keep it in mind. The girl, at least was your friend, I believe, and you can never have too many friends. But friends that resent your good fortune, friends that don't wish you the best...well, they are not friends at all."
Noemi suddenly reached forward and tried to hug them all at once, but only succeeded in reaching her sister and Cythera. "Well," she stated firmly," I'm just glad that I have all of you for friends. And the gods know I wish you all the best. But I don't think I'm ready for any more, Cyth. It's all I can do to look out for you all."
Their amused laughter followed them softly down the streets as the carriage headed for home.

[Kaltia]

Poor Sefa
I'm gonna...go....*sob*
Oooh...shopping! (it's so easy to cheer me up [img]tongue.gif[/img] )

[Galadria]

LOL, you'd love the Galleria. Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, and Nordstrom's with zillions of little boutiques. I drag Attalus there about once a month. He's pretty good about it, but he won't go into Victoria's Secret with me. That's a lingerie shop, if you don't have them in the UK. Some more:

XX

The diviner sent a messenger the next day with the news that a date only ten days away would be extremely lucky for their trip to start, so frenzied bustle descended on the House of the Dome, again. Noemi, laying on a bench in Galadria's study, wailed, "How will we get through in time, Gal?" I've still got one of those spells to learn, and I haven't even opened that cursed tome." She was balancing a small quoit on one of her boot toes sticking her tongue out a little with the effort.
The dark mage stopped reading over a checklist she had made of supplies to get before their departure. It was reassuringly short, since they had not near used up those she had gathered for the expedition to the North. She looked up at her sister and chuckled. "Em," she said, "you know that you can learn that other spell in nine days. You have done very well to have already memorized the first one so shortly. You can do that tome when we get back. I personally ascribe your diligence to the fact that your evenings aren't taken up with Morgul and writing poetry." She ducked as the redhead slung a cushion at her, rather accurately. "Which reminds me. How is Sefa doing at her archery practice?"
Noemi scowled as she placed a small pillow behind her head to replace the one that she had used as a missle. "All right, I guess. She's not as good as I was, when we first set out."
Her sister tactfully refrained from criticism of the redhead's skill with the bow when they had been dumped, at an early age, into a howling wilderness, friendless orphans. She smiled to herself reminiscently, recalling how, for the first few days, they had wandered aimlessly, relying on their unsteady skills: Noemi's bow, and her fledgling magic. "All she needs are more lessons and some experience," is what she said.
Noemi snorted in reply. "Well, she's sure to get some experience. Just a little higher on the demon, Sefa. Oops, you hit Odo, instead."
Galadria put down her pen to frown at her sibling. "And how, Lady Noemi, my distinguished apprentice, are you going to remedy this by laying on my bench, complaining? You could join Cythera preparing that spell that she's been working on for weeks, she says, or out practicing with Sefa." She had to cease these helpful suggestions when Attalus and Odo came in the door.
She turned to her husband, who was in full armor and covered with sweat, despite the chill. "Whooee, Attalus, you do reek, my dear. Kindly go outside for a while and freeze into a statue so that we may safely fumigate you."
The big knight grinned, bent over and kissed her, to her unavailing protests. Noemi waved to Odo, who was similarly perspiring. He winked at her. They had evidently been working in the weapons gym downstairs. Her sister turned back to her. She had siezed the distraction as a chance to grab an apple from a bowl, and now took a large bite of it.
"Look at Attalus and Odo," pursued the dark sorceress, "down keeping their skills honed while you laze around. Up you get, apprentice, and go get Sefa. When you've spent an hour with her at the archery butts, transferring some of your prodigious skills into her, then go help Cythera. Out."
Noemi put the apple down and rose gracefully to her feet. She faced her irritated sister, placed both hands together, and deeply bowed to her."All shall be as you say, oh Lady Galadria, mistress of the dark coven and companion of the wilted leopard cult. I go fearing punishment if I succeed and worse if I fail. Ow." The redhead stood up suddenly as a small spark had appeared on her posterior, slightly burning her but not scorching her clothes. As she gently rubbed the offended part, she remembered Galadria working up that spell when they were girls. She had never taught it to Noemi, for obvious reasons. The men roared with appreciative laughter. They had seen the dark mage cast the spell while her sister had been bent over.
Galadria nodded to the redhead. "That's your punishment if you succeed. Imagine what I will do if you fail. Get going." Noemi retreated with dignity, snagging her apple first.