After the battles

Chapter 2

Only a hour later the celebration hall was filled with people, even the mercenaries that had been hired to aid the city was there. Everyone except Grimgnaw. Jader didn't mourn it, neither did Linu. The dwarfs bloodthirst was not quite of their likening, even though Jaders own brother Kain had a similiar manner. When Jader saw his brother leaning his back to a pillar at the far end of the room, he could almost see the dark aura surround him. Kain, his brother and the former servant of darkness, would never act out of evil again, but his dark powers never left him. Linu had commented his dark aura when she first met him when they returned to Neverwinter but had then also seen the small stream of light that led his mind and will. Indeed, no evil act would come from that man again.
Jared got no further in his thoughts, but was drawn back to reality by Linu, squeezing his arm.
"Do you see Jader? Lord Nasher waves for us to come." she said and dragged him with her. Lord Nasher greeted them heartedly. He motiond for them to sit down and enjoy the music and food. While they chatted many citizens, nobles as commons, came forth and shook his and Linus hands, thanking them for saving their precious city. Noone of them thanked Kain who stood, still leaning back at the pillar, only a few metres away from them. He looked down the ground, not even seeming to care about the music and the dancing people around him. Then the unthinkable happend. A little girl walked forth to him and looked up. She met his gaze and held up her hand.
"Thank you for saving my mother from the burning house, sir" she said with a smile. Her voice cut through the music and voices and everyone seemed to turn around and look at them. First their gazes went to the girl. Then up at the kensai warrior. Couples stopped in their dances, the music silenced. Jader moved in his chair, as if to rise up, but Linu grabbed his tunic and pulled him back down. He looked at her, then followed her gaze back to his brother. Kains hair, short and just as black as his heart once had been, moved slightly as a woman half ran towards her little girl and laid her arms around her. The girl had during the time not lowerd her hand and Kain had said nothing, only returned her gaze.
"My sister didn't mean to disturb you, good sir." she said, stuttering on every word. Kains legacy as the "Kensai of shadows and death" still kept people at unease. Yet, the little girls words had actully lit a fire within Kain and he looked up at the woman holding the girl, then down at the girl again. He sat down on one knee and lowerd himself so that his face was infront of the girls. He took her hand, then placed his other hand atop of it and smiled.
"Thank you, my child. Send your mother my dearest wishes. Your house is...repaired?" he said, his voice as dark as a dragons, but yet soft. When the girl nodded, he smiled. "Then will send my brother to your house. He is a skilled healer in many ways, even though he lacks of some...abilities that I would like to see more of. If your mother got any wound at all left from the fire, my brother will be able to help her". He then rose up and let the little girls hand drop down and nodded to her sister with a smile. The silence was still there, but now it was not from fear or unbelief, but of respect and in awe of Kains words. Noone, save Jader and their closest friends, had ever heard him use so gentle words. At lord Nashers command, the music started to play again and people slowly began to talk and dance again. Jaders gaze drained on Kain, and he saw his brother look about in the room. He turned back to Linu and Nasher and continued to discuss the topic that they had started before. Noone noticed that Kains eyes narrowed as they gazed around the room, and that he soon left the halls, leaving the people for their celebration until the night was almost over.

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Aribeth sat right outside the city, on a rock next to a small river. The lowest parts of her pants were soaked by the splashing from the river. The pain of the memories from her actions had not left her, and when she sat there, she felt so alone. She just wished someone would come and hold her and caress all her pain away. At the same time, she felt as if she didn't deserve more. She had to be punished for what she had done. She almost never thought of Fenthick anymore now. She had left him behind in some way, not forgotten him, never forgotten. But she had moved on, at least where he was concerned. She suddenly jumped off the rock as she felt a hand on her shoulder. A short dagger was soon in her hand and she stared wildly at the man.
"Put that away Aribeth. There is no need for it" Kain said. Aribeth relaxed and put the dagger back to its hilt, and sat down at the stone again.
"Why aren't you with the others, celebrating?" she asked him, her voice almost only a whisper as he sat down next to her.
"I needed some fresh air" he said ironic. "Plus, It's not my style to celebrate in that large numbers". Aribeth nodded slowly, and leant her forhead to her arms. "Why aren't you in there then?" Kain asked her. She lift up her head again and looked at him.
"Me?" she asked.
"No, the river. Yes, you. You if anyone should celebrate."
"I don't follow you..." she said, truly confused about his words.
"Look, " Kain said. "Hundreds, even thousands of lifes when you decided to aid us in the battles. You aided me in the battle with the golems. Moreover, you got your life spared and you aint being looked upon as an enemy anymore". Kains words made Aribeth smile and she leant her head to his shoulder.
"If I am not wrong, that last one is your doing". she spoke silently. Kain shrugged. " 'You killed her beloved, hung him for grounds that even I would see as innocent. And you dare call her a foe? If you can't forgive her, then I truly wonder why Jader convinced her to forgive you' . Wasen't that what you said, when you, Jader and Hemli spoke to the people?".
Kain chuckled slightly and nodded.
"Yes...Yes, it was. I got tired of them. Citizens of big cities are smart, if you meet them alone. In groups they are arrogant idiots who lacks of any own will" he spat, then looked at her. "Be thankfull, Lady Aribeth de Tylmarand." he finished and stroke her cheek as he started to rise up. Aribeth granned his arm and pulled him down and kissed him, before he could rise up completely. When their lips seperated he stared at her dumbfondly.
"As a thanks." she said before she let her gaze float back to the river. Kain stood still for a few seconds, then slowly walked away. The full moon spread light around him as he walked up to the castle, heading for his room.