I only wish I could have left you more, some way to be certain you would find your way here— but it is clear you hardly needed it.
[He steps forward, his arms dropping away from his chest so that he can take her hands in his own as he joins her, his dark gaze softened. It still feels so surreal, even with her hands in his, almost too good to be true— but this was what they had sworn to one another.]
I can still hardly believe—
[He cuts himself off with another soft, incredulous laugh, then takes her face between his hands as he exhales, tipping his head downwards to rest his brow against the top of her own.]
You truly are a wonder. I keep thinking I'll wake and find this all to be some incredible dream, but it's real. You're really here. Gods above, I missed you.
[At last, with the initial shock having eased and here away from prying eyes, he tips his head to gently press his lips to hers, the kiss soft and heartfelt, all the sweeter for all the time they've spent apart.]
[His kiss is gentle, but she returns it with fervor, hands moving to cup his face. The gap created by the months of separation are filled within these few seconds. It had been worth the hours of agonizing over potential failure and the real possibility of another heartbreaking loss because all of those were rendered invalid now.
Amelia is also first to end it to take a breath, but she remains close and exhales with relief and contentedness.]
I missed you too.
[What else could she say? Her efforts have brought her here and that speaks loudly enough.]
I'll admit that I don't think I thought as far ahead as I usually do. Now that I'm here...
[Her voice trails off and she looks him in the eyes with curiosity.]
[His hands drop from her face to rest comfortably against her shoulders; truly, he feels lighter just having her here, the last missing piece having now fallen into place now that he was no longer staring death directly in the eye.]
I suppose I must. I've rid myself of an additional passenger, for one, and as for the orb...
[His smile softens into something bittersweet; he's nothing short of glad to be relieved of it, but he'll not soon forget the lesson it taught him regarding his own hubris.]
I don't feel quite myself again yet, but well on the way.
[The mark itself remains, though largely hidden beneath his robes, with its dark tendrils still faintly trailing up the side of his neck, but the power that had pulsed and roiled within him has certainly quieted. An echo of it yet remains; he had lived with that piece of the Karsite weave within him for so long that it had left traces behind. He could only hope that they would continue to fade with time as he went on to heal, but to say so aloud felt like something akin to greed. That he had lived to see it removed at all— that was miracle enough.
He turns his head into her touch, his lips ghosting against the ball of her thumb.]
In no small part thanks to you, in fact.
[She had eased his aches and pains during their time at the Hotel, helped him to find stability, but she had done far more than that. She served as a reminder of not only who he wished to get back to, but who he himself wanted to be. He might have made a different choice, otherwise— but remembering who he was when he was with her guided him to choose humility, instead.]
A great deal has happened, more than I can tell in a single afternoon, and much of it feels far too heavy to heap upon you when you've come such a long way— but the orb is truly gone, even if it's left me a little worse for wear in its wake. That I can stand here and tell you so for myself... I could ask for nothing better.
[It might have come down to him sacrificing himself of his own accord, not even because his goddess had wished it, if it meant stopping the Netherbrain.]
When I returned here, I was able to learn a great deal more about the orb itself— from a book found in the vaults of this very tower, in fact. If I were still the Gale of Waterdeep of two years past, I might have used what I learned to do something I now realize would have been incredibly foolish, but my time with you... it's done so much to help me in deciding who it is I wish to be.
[Amelia listens to his explanation. Brief as it is, it's more than enough to flood her heart with absolute relief. She swallows and blinks away the mist of incoming tears when Gale declares her part in his decisions.
In the early stages of their tentative, but sincere relationship, the wizard had made it known how much she had meant to him to an almost embarrassing degree. It sounded and felt unbelievable had it not been for the pivotal moment before even that when he revealed the nature of the orb to her.
And though she had grand notions of finding a way to overcome that affliction once they were reunited, it was Gale who had outrun the ticking clock. It was Gale who made sure he did not die while she found her way to him.]
Gale...
[Her hands are shaking without her realizing it as she cups his face lovingly once again. She looks at him, really looks at him and notices the tendrils of the mark that remains. After a few more seconds of stunned silence, she wraps her arms around him again in a fierce hug.]
Tell me everything another day then. Right now, I'm just... I'm so proud of you Gale. I'm so proud and—
[She didn't quite mean to say this next, but it tumbles out of her anyway because it is the most important.]
Thank you for still being here. Thank you for not leaving me.
[Briar had to leave. Had it happened with Gale, the Emerald Witch would be an entirely different creature today.]
[He wraps his arms around her as though it were second nature; even after months apart, there is no denying how right being together feels, and he drops his chin to bury his face against her hair. Her voice is so small in that moment, smaller than he's ever heard it, but he feels emotion rise and catch in his throat as he pulls her against him just a little bit tighter.
She had been alone for so long... he truly could not bear the thought of leaving her to grieve him and find herself alone once more.]
You are more than worth living for— fighting to live for.
[He exhales, pressing a chaste kiss against the top of her head.]
If I have my way, you will never be made to feel alone again.
[They had decided to write their story to come together— their time apart had done nothing to shake his resolve on that front.]
[Of all the decisions Amelia has ever made in her life, Gale has been the one she's never regretted. And moving forward, there will be many more made together.
With all that said and done, she clears her throat and loosens her hold on him.]
As established, there is... A lot to consider and look forward to. But just to be sure, I should sleep another hour or two in order to ensure stabilization.
[Always the practical woman, this one.]
After that... Well, I'm all yours.
[She squeezes his hands. They've talked about this sort of thing idly when they were in the hotel; things they would partake in if they were able to visit each other's worlds, but it was always a fancy of their imaginations until now.]
[He exhales, his expression all warmth and affection as she loosens her hold, and he loosens his own only to take hold of her just beneath both shoulders and give a gentle squeeze of reassurance before she takes his hands a moment later.]
Of course. There's an alcove just past this stretch of shelves with a chaise I've fallen asleep on quite comfortably more than a few times while working— perhaps even a step up from a library sofa, though it was sorely lacking in your company.
[He can't help but make that playful remark, mirth in his gaze, and he gestures towards the next expanse of shelves and beyond.]
You'll not be bothered here. Later, we'll get you set up properly at the Elfsong, where I've been staying while in the city— something of a home away from home.
That'll do then. I won't sleep more than I need to.
[She starts to move to the alcove he's directed her to while still holding his hand. A few steps in and she glances at him again and her gaze softens.]
... Your hair's gotten longer.
[Amelia reaches up with her free hand to run some of his hair strands through her fingers.]
[He reaches up to touch his own hair experimentally, though he's far more focused on how familiar and comforting it is to feel her run her fingers through it— there are countless ways in which he's missed her, more than even he has words for, but it's the little moments between them, the ease and the mundane that he had come to miss the most. He had become quite used to sharing his daily life with her; the absence of that left a hollow ache in its wake. Her own gaze softens and he feels a gentle squeeze in his chest.]
My mind has been decidedly elsewhere, I suppose, looking to move between planes— look at me, utterly hapless without you.
[He jokes, but there's genuine warmth there, as well.]
At this point, I'd not trust anyone else to trim it for me. It's a very good thing you're here; Tara is already on me about the beard as is.
[He can't help but look a bit pleased with himself at her approval, chuckling softly as she teases him— a side of her so few are ever fortunate enough to see, he's learned during their time together. He is a most fortunate man indeed.]
Oh, understandably so. You've gone through a great deal of effort, after all— I would hate to disappoint.
[He takes one of her hands in his own, lifting it as he bows his head to press a chaste kiss against the back of her knuckles.]
Rest, my heart. We have much to discuss when you wake, and I've so much I can hardly wait to show you.
[She doesn't need to be told twice. The moment she lays her head down on the chaise, she struggles to keep her eyes open even though she wants to keep looking at Gale and make sure he's close. And even when she finally allows sleep to take her once again, Amelia's hand never leaves Gale's.]
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[A couple of hours pass before the witch finally wakes up. The unfamiliar room gives her a bit of a start before recollection comes and she sits up, takes off her glasses, and rubs her eye groggily.]
[Gale had not gone far while she'd slept— as a matter of fact, he hadn't gone anywhere at all, opting to seat himself in front of the chaise so that he could rest his head and shoulders against it, his fingers loosely curled into her hand. He is a far luckier man than he has any right to be, he thinks, and he does not intend to take a single moment of this for granted.
He's reading when she wakes, though his attention is immediately drawn away from his book when she finally starts to stir. It had been quite clear that she'd needed the rest, and he had been more than happy to stand vigil while she slept, his gaze coming to rest on her peaceful features more often than it focused on the contents of his book.]
Late afternoon— nearly five o'clock. How did you sleep?
[The chaise wouldn't be quite as comfortable as a proper bed, but he'd enjoyed his share of naps on it.]
[For a moment, he's taken quite by surprise, brown eyes flying wide open as she takes hold of his face so firmly, but he laughs as realization sets in, the sound warm and rich and only partially distorted by her efforts.]
What do you think? Real enough?
[He'd been so struck by his own disbelief, he can't help but tease.]
[He makes a soft noise of approval as their lips meet, his fingers gently curling around her wrist.]
Very glad to know I pass muster.
[All teasing aside, the surreal nature of the situation will likely take some time to wear off— but he doesn't intend to waste a single moment they have together, now that they've finally reunite. He shifts to face her properly, ignoring the hell that the floor is likely to be on his knees when he finally gets up again, and cups the side of her face with his free hand, his book set aside for the time being.]
[He ducks his head slightly as she ruffles his hair, flashing her a boyish smile that borders on mischievous— for all his cleverness, he's always had a playful streak, one that surfaces even more readily in her presence.]
Perhaps I've missed seeing you when you've just awakened.
[He doesn't know that there are any circumstances under which he would find her anything less than stunning. His smile quirks to one side as he lets his hand fall away from her face, using the chaise for leverage to get to his feet, stifling a grunt along the way as he feels some of the stiffness that had begun to sink into his knees and shoulders.]
We can do anything you like. I'm without a kitchen of my own at the moment, sadly, but I do know plenty of places to find a good meal. Baldur's Gate is no Waterdeep, I confess, but there's no shortage of things to see— I am honored to be your guide.
Oh, it can and will, if my time here has been any indication. Things may be comparatively quiet at the moment, but I think you'll find that a quiet day in the Gate is still bursting with excitement— for instance, an entire house has appeared out past the harbor.
[He smiles at her knowingly, smoothing out the front of his robes with both hands.]
Regarding said house, I think I may be able to call in a favor. I'll send a message to Duke Ravengard to tell him I've a handle on the situation— he's head of the city's primary law enforcement, the Flaming Fist. I'll have to meet with him personally to explain in a bit more detail, but I'd say he'd be more than willing to do me a favor, all things considered. In the meantime, a bit of illusion magic should do the trick to shield your house from view, and I think a few wards wouldn't go amiss.
[Fortunately, this Gale of Waterdeep has a closer connection with the Weave than the one she had met at Hotel Caelum, and the absence of the orb has only given him room to refine that connection and shape it into something resembling what it once was.]
[What would she ever do in Faerun without Gale? His laid out plans earn him another kiss on the cheek before she takes his hand in hers so they can exit together. Amelia's usually not this affectionate, but he's been able to bring out that side of her.]
I expect nothing less. Now let's head out.
[She's pretty eager to explore, but then she snaps her fingers, remembering one last thing.]
Ah, I didn't have a chance to ask. Where is Astarion? And is he well?
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sunfloras2024-11-22 08:40 pm
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[Her head swivels around to peer at the wizard over her shoulder.]
I can't estimate how long I was knocked out once I found a working door.
[There's a pause and Amelia turns to face him and leans her back against the bookshelf. She's fidgeting her fingers.]
I used the bracelet you gave me. I still had that and the book you gifted me back in the hotel.
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[He steps forward, his arms dropping away from his chest so that he can take her hands in his own as he joins her, his dark gaze softened. It still feels so surreal, even with her hands in his, almost too good to be true— but this was what they had sworn to one another.]
I can still hardly believe—
[He cuts himself off with another soft, incredulous laugh, then takes her face between his hands as he exhales, tipping his head downwards to rest his brow against the top of her own.]
You truly are a wonder. I keep thinking I'll wake and find this all to be some incredible dream, but it's real. You're really here. Gods above, I missed you.
[At last, with the initial shock having eased and here away from prying eyes, he tips his head to gently press his lips to hers, the kiss soft and heartfelt, all the sweeter for all the time they've spent apart.]
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Amelia is also first to end it to take a breath, but she remains close and exhales with relief and contentedness.]
I missed you too.
[What else could she say? Her efforts have brought her here and that speaks loudly enough.]
I'll admit that I don't think I thought as far ahead as I usually do. Now that I'm here...
[Her voice trails off and she looks him in the eyes with curiosity.]
You feel lighter.
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[His hands drop from her face to rest comfortably against her shoulders; truly, he feels lighter just having her here, the last missing piece having now fallen into place now that he was no longer staring death directly in the eye.]
I suppose I must. I've rid myself of an additional passenger, for one, and as for the orb...
[His smile softens into something bittersweet; he's nothing short of glad to be relieved of it, but he'll not soon forget the lesson it taught him regarding his own hubris.]
I don't feel quite myself again yet, but well on the way.
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[Her eyes widen and glance at where the orb's marking should be and then back to Gale's face where she strokes some of his hair away ]
So it's not just my feeling? It's really gone?
[That's another sorrow down. Amelia can't believe either of their fortunes could take so many good right turns.]
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He turns his head into her touch, his lips ghosting against the ball of her thumb.]
In no small part thanks to you, in fact.
[She had eased his aches and pains during their time at the Hotel, helped him to find stability, but she had done far more than that. She served as a reminder of not only who he wished to get back to, but who he himself wanted to be. He might have made a different choice, otherwise— but remembering who he was when he was with her guided him to choose humility, instead.]
A great deal has happened, more than I can tell in a single afternoon, and much of it feels far too heavy to heap upon you when you've come such a long way— but the orb is truly gone, even if it's left me a little worse for wear in its wake. That I can stand here and tell you so for myself... I could ask for nothing better.
[It might have come down to him sacrificing himself of his own accord, not even because his goddess had wished it, if it meant stopping the Netherbrain.]
When I returned here, I was able to learn a great deal more about the orb itself— from a book found in the vaults of this very tower, in fact. If I were still the Gale of Waterdeep of two years past, I might have used what I learned to do something I now realize would have been incredibly foolish, but my time with you... it's done so much to help me in deciding who it is I wish to be.
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In the early stages of their tentative, but sincere relationship, the wizard had made it known how much she had meant to him to an almost embarrassing degree. It sounded and felt unbelievable had it not been for the pivotal moment before even that when he revealed the nature of the orb to her.
And though she had grand notions of finding a way to overcome that affliction once they were reunited, it was Gale who had outrun the ticking clock. It was Gale who made sure he did not die while she found her way to him.]
Gale...
[Her hands are shaking without her realizing it as she cups his face lovingly once again. She looks at him, really looks at him and notices the tendrils of the mark that remains. After a few more seconds of stunned silence, she wraps her arms around him again in a fierce hug.]
Tell me everything another day then. Right now, I'm just... I'm so proud of you Gale. I'm so proud and—
[She didn't quite mean to say this next, but it tumbles out of her anyway because it is the most important.]
Thank you for still being here. Thank you for not leaving me.
[Briar had to leave. Had it happened with Gale, the Emerald Witch would be an entirely different creature today.]
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She had been alone for so long... he truly could not bear the thought of leaving her to grieve him and find herself alone once more.]
You are more than worth living for— fighting to live for.
[He exhales, pressing a chaste kiss against the top of her head.]
If I have my way, you will never be made to feel alone again.
[They had decided to write their story to come together— their time apart had done nothing to shake his resolve on that front.]
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With all that said and done, she clears her throat and loosens her hold on him.]
As established, there is... A lot to consider and look forward to. But just to be sure, I should sleep another hour or two in order to ensure stabilization.
[Always the practical woman, this one.]
After that... Well, I'm all yours.
[She squeezes his hands. They've talked about this sort of thing idly when they were in the hotel; things they would partake in if they were able to visit each other's worlds, but it was always a fancy of their imaginations until now.]
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Of course. There's an alcove just past this stretch of shelves with a chaise I've fallen asleep on quite comfortably more than a few times while working— perhaps even a step up from a library sofa, though it was sorely lacking in your company.
[He can't help but make that playful remark, mirth in his gaze, and he gestures towards the next expanse of shelves and beyond.]
You'll not be bothered here. Later, we'll get you set up properly at the Elfsong, where I've been staying while in the city— something of a home away from home.
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[She starts to move to the alcove he's directed her to while still holding his hand. A few steps in and she glances at him again and her gaze softens.]
... Your hair's gotten longer.
[Amelia reaches up with her free hand to run some of his hair strands through her fingers.]
I've been away for too long.
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[He reaches up to touch his own hair experimentally, though he's far more focused on how familiar and comforting it is to feel her run her fingers through it— there are countless ways in which he's missed her, more than even he has words for, but it's the little moments between them, the ease and the mundane that he had come to miss the most. He had become quite used to sharing his daily life with her; the absence of that left a hollow ache in its wake. Her own gaze softens and he feels a gentle squeeze in his chest.]
My mind has been decidedly elsewhere, I suppose, looking to move between planes— look at me, utterly hapless without you.
[He jokes, but there's genuine warmth there, as well.]
At this point, I'd not trust anyone else to trim it for me. It's a very good thing you're here; Tara is already on me about the beard as is.
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The ends could use some tidying up, but I think it's a good length.
[An actual smile blooms across her features as she brushes some of his hair behind his ear.]
If you looked completely hapless, I'd be on your case too. I didn't cross over to your world for you to look like a mess.
[He'd still be a handsome mess tho, but that's Amelia, holding her compliments close to her chest.]
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Oh, understandably so. You've gone through a great deal of effort, after all— I would hate to disappoint.
[He takes one of her hands in his own, lifting it as he bows his head to press a chaste kiss against the back of her knuckles.]
Rest, my heart. We have much to discuss when you wake, and I've so much I can hardly wait to show you.
a small jump
[A couple of hours pass before the witch finally wakes up. The unfamiliar room gives her a bit of a start before recollection comes and she sits up, takes off her glasses, and rubs her eye groggily.]
What time is it...?
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He's reading when she wakes, though his attention is immediately drawn away from his book when she finally starts to stir. It had been quite clear that she'd needed the rest, and he had been more than happy to stand vigil while she slept, his gaze coming to rest on her peaceful features more often than it focused on the contents of his book.]
Late afternoon— nearly five o'clock. How did you sleep?
[The chaise wouldn't be quite as comfortable as a proper bed, but he'd enjoyed his share of naps on it.]
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And then without warning, she takes hold of Gale's face between both palms and squishes his cheeks, up and down and in circles.]
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What do you think? Real enough?
[He'd been so struck by his own disbelief, he can't help but tease.]
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The beard certainly is.
[Cupping his face more gently this time, she gives him a quick kiss on the lips.]
There. Well and fully verified.
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Very glad to know I pass muster.
[All teasing aside, the surreal nature of the situation will likely take some time to wear off— but he doesn't intend to waste a single moment they have together, now that they've finally reunite. He shifts to face her properly, ignoring the hell that the floor is likely to be on his knees when he finally gets up again, and cups the side of her face with his free hand, his book set aside for the time being.]
You are even more breathtaking than I remember.
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I just woke up. And I'm sure I should take a shower and have a meal after hours of blacking out.
[And as if on cue... Her stomach gurgles. Amelia blinks. Sighs heavily. Rests her forehead against Gale.]
And now I remember I haven't had your cooking in months. But we can save that since I want to look around more.
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Perhaps I've missed seeing you when you've just awakened.
[He doesn't know that there are any circumstances under which he would find her anything less than stunning. His smile quirks to one side as he lets his hand fall away from her face, using the chaise for leverage to get to his feet, stifling a grunt along the way as he feels some of the stiffness that had begun to sink into his knees and shoulders.]
We can do anything you like. I'm without a kitchen of my own at the moment, sadly, but I do know plenty of places to find a good meal. Baldur's Gate is no Waterdeep, I confess, but there's no shortage of things to see— I am honored to be your guide.
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Then it's a date with you as my guide. This city feels like anything could happen.
[Like a witch from another world dropping into the middle of the coast!]
We'll have to check up on my house later too. I... Don't think I want any of the city authorities canvasing it.
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[He smiles at her knowingly, smoothing out the front of his robes with both hands.]
Regarding said house, I think I may be able to call in a favor. I'll send a message to Duke Ravengard to tell him I've a handle on the situation— he's head of the city's primary law enforcement, the Flaming Fist. I'll have to meet with him personally to explain in a bit more detail, but I'd say he'd be more than willing to do me a favor, all things considered. In the meantime, a bit of illusion magic should do the trick to shield your house from view, and I think a few wards wouldn't go amiss.
[Fortunately, this Gale of Waterdeep has a closer connection with the Weave than the one she had met at Hotel Caelum, and the absence of the orb has only given him room to refine that connection and shape it into something resembling what it once was.]
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[What would she ever do in Faerun without Gale? His laid out plans earn him another kiss on the cheek before she takes his hand in hers so they can exit together. Amelia's usually not this affectionate, but he's been able to bring out that side of her.]
I expect nothing less. Now let's head out.
[She's pretty eager to explore, but then she snaps her fingers, remembering one last thing.]
Ah, I didn't have a chance to ask. Where is Astarion? And is he well?
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