Chapter 9 - The Belle of the Ball
  James led a pretty easy life for a while. He'd go into a town, find the tavern or inn (or both in one building, usually) and he'd play for coin. A couple times he got run out of town by a brother, father or a fiance', but he lived the life of a bard to its fullest. Singing for coin, drinking, and generally not having a care in the world.
  Until he met her.
  He had booked passage on board a ship headed to the Moonshae Isles. He arrived at his destination to see the most wonderful sight he'd seen in ages. A white-haired beauty with impossibly large amber eyes. She was getting ready to head into the town.
  "Hello, Miss," James smiled at her.
  "Oh, hello!" she replied, the smile on her face reflected in her eyes. "I'm new here. Do you know your way around?"
  "No," he said. "I have only just arrived myself."
  "Good!" she said excitedly as she skipped over to him and grabbed his arm. "We can bumble about together and not feel silly!"
  "That sounds good to me, Miss...?"
  "Belle Liora Asen," she replied.
  Belle Liora. Belle meant beauty. Liora meant "my light". My beautiful light thought James. Fitting.
  He introduced himself as James, and Belle would have none of that. She told him he needed a proper nickname.
  "Well," he said, "How about... amazing? Talented? Or, you know, handsome would also work."
  She laughed. "I know what I'm going to call you! Cheeky Bard." She then pinched his cheek and ran off laughing. James chuckled to himself, and followed.
  They had a good time exploring the city together. Eventually, she asked him to teach her the lute.
  "For a pretty thing like yourself, of course," he said.
  "Now don't you get any ideas about stealing kisses during lessons!" she retorted.
  "I never steal kisses," James replied. "I only take kisses that are offered."
  "Well, I doubt I'll offer you one," she mocked.
  "Oh, before too long, you'll do more than that," he grinned. "You'll be asking me to kiss you."
  James and Belle shared a drink, where Belle got a little too tipsy. James was the consummate gentleman, and helped her to her room, and left her in bed tucked in.
  James came back from training the next morning to see Belle at the bar of the inn. She had just gotten done practicing her dance, and he couldn't help but notice how her clothing hugged her frame.
 "Mind if I join you?" he asked her politely.
  "Do you still think I'm going to ask you to kiss me?" was her reply.
  "Not today you aren't. But soon," he grinned.
  She was taken aback, and flustered. "I'll have you know that I have never been kissed!"
  It was James' turn to be taken aback. "Not even once?" How could that be possible, a beautiful woman like this? "Well, I'll bet many a young man stared longingly at your window."
  "I was a sickly child... I didn't get male visitors," she said.
  "It's a shame the world was so deprived for so long," he replied. "Good that you're out and about now. Sune herself was probably waiting for the day you'd step outside."
  "Why?" she asked. "She has butterflies."
  "If I had the choice in watching butterflies, or seeing you, it's not even a choice. You're more beautiful."
  Belle tried, but couldn't hold back a smile.
 Â
The Unknown Dragon
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 10 - The Dance
  "Have you any plans today?" James asked one morning.
  "I don't," Belle replied.
  "Good, so I won't be keeping you from anything as I learn more about you," he grinned.
  "There's not much to tell," she said. "I'm boring really."
  "Well, beauty-..." he caught himself about to call her "beautiful". "Well, Miss Belle, I don't think you're boring."
 Â
  She told him a bit about herself, and then told her about him. Eventually, she decided she would teach James to dance in return for her lute lessons.
  The first thing she did was to pull him close. It was hard for him to concentrate on the lesson with her in his arms, the smell of the sea air wafting off of her. Eventually he was able to get past that and get to learning. He came to understand that the dance was a sort of game, with the man chasing, and the woman evading.
  "I'll give you a hint," she offered. "You can use your hand on the small of my back to help."
  He pulled her close to him; again, very aware of the space between them. "Like this?"
  "You... are a natural," she said, looking at him, distracted a bit herself.
  At this point, James had complete control of her movements, though he was too focused on her proximity to even notice. Eventually, he realized this, and made the motions to dip her. She had no choice but to comply with the dip.
  He held her there for a bit. He looked at her. He could easily lean over and kiss her... but he refrained. She had not asked. She seemed to be very aware of this, too.
  "How long do I hold you here?" he asked, keeping her dipped.
  "Y-you normally let the music decide," she responded with a stutter.
  He grinned, and pulled her back up, right into an embrace.
  "Th-this is not proper dancing form," she protested.
  He grinned at her with a crooked smile. "It should be." He then relaxed his grip a bit to allow them to get back into the proper hold, though they didn't move any more.
  "You are getting the hang of it," she said, color rising in her cheeks. "You should be able to find many dance partners."
  "Maybe," he replied, keeping that grin.
  "You can let go of me now," she finally said.
  "Oh!" he let her go, realizing he had been holding her that entire time.
  They conversed for a bit about dancing, and dance cards. They talked about lute lessons, and further dance instruction.
  "Have you ever been on a dinner date, Miss Belle?" he finally asked.
  "I have not," she replied.
  "Well then. I would consider it an honor if you would agree to join me on a dinner date sometime."
  "I ... sure," she said. "But don't get any ideas, Cheeky Bard!"
  "No ma'am. The only idea I have is to enjoy your company over some roasted beef and red wine."
  "Have you any plans today?" James asked one morning.
  "I don't," Belle replied.
  "Good, so I won't be keeping you from anything as I learn more about you," he grinned.
  "There's not much to tell," she said. "I'm boring really."
  "Well, beauty-..." he caught himself about to call her "beautiful". "Well, Miss Belle, I don't think you're boring."
 Â
  She told him a bit about herself, and then told her about him. Eventually, she decided she would teach James to dance in return for her lute lessons.
  The first thing she did was to pull him close. It was hard for him to concentrate on the lesson with her in his arms, the smell of the sea air wafting off of her. Eventually he was able to get past that and get to learning. He came to understand that the dance was a sort of game, with the man chasing, and the woman evading.
  "I'll give you a hint," she offered. "You can use your hand on the small of my back to help."
  He pulled her close to him; again, very aware of the space between them. "Like this?"
  "You... are a natural," she said, looking at him, distracted a bit herself.
  At this point, James had complete control of her movements, though he was too focused on her proximity to even notice. Eventually, he realized this, and made the motions to dip her. She had no choice but to comply with the dip.
  He held her there for a bit. He looked at her. He could easily lean over and kiss her... but he refrained. She had not asked. She seemed to be very aware of this, too.
  "How long do I hold you here?" he asked, keeping her dipped.
  "Y-you normally let the music decide," she responded with a stutter.
  He grinned, and pulled her back up, right into an embrace.
  "Th-this is not proper dancing form," she protested.
  He grinned at her with a crooked smile. "It should be." He then relaxed his grip a bit to allow them to get back into the proper hold, though they didn't move any more.
  "You are getting the hang of it," she said, color rising in her cheeks. "You should be able to find many dance partners."
  "Maybe," he replied, keeping that grin.
  "You can let go of me now," she finally said.
  "Oh!" he let her go, realizing he had been holding her that entire time.
  They conversed for a bit about dancing, and dance cards. They talked about lute lessons, and further dance instruction.
  "Have you ever been on a dinner date, Miss Belle?" he finally asked.
  "I have not," she replied.
  "Well then. I would consider it an honor if you would agree to join me on a dinner date sometime."
  "I ... sure," she said. "But don't get any ideas, Cheeky Bard!"
  "No ma'am. The only idea I have is to enjoy your company over some roasted beef and red wine."
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 11 - Lute Lessons
  James began his first lute lesson with Belle. He began showing her different chords he knew. However, his notation was not exactly professional. He had never learned chord names, or such, and so when he wrote out a song, he had made his own notations up for the different chords. A circle was a C-chord. A square was an F-chord. An unhappy face was an A-minor. Belle was amused by this.
  James kept getting distracted by her proximity during the lesson, but he was able to get through it mostly. Finally, Belle was having a hard time performing a chord, and James reached his arm around her to show her the proper way.
  "Remember to hold it steady," he said to her. He did not remove his arm from around her.
  She looked up at him, her amber eyes sparkling. "Next?" she asked, meaning which chord to move to.
  "Next," he said, looking into her eyes. "I'm thinking of asking if I can kiss you."
  Her eyes widened, color rising in her cheeks again. "But... I thought... I was supposed to ask you?"
  "I'm willing to overlook that if you are," he said, never taking his eyes off her eyes. "May I kiss you, Miss Belle?"
  She took a moment to respond. "But... you haven't asked to court me yet... we haven't even had dinner."
  "Let's have dinner then."
  "Yes... dinner," she began to close the gap between them.
  James moved towards her, but suddenly stopped, and pulled away. She blinked a few times, confused.
  "As much as I'd like to kiss you, Miss Belle," he said, "It's not romantic or magical enough for your first time. It needs to be special."
  Her cheeks began to redden even more. "Dinner then?" she asked?
  James began his first lute lesson with Belle. He began showing her different chords he knew. However, his notation was not exactly professional. He had never learned chord names, or such, and so when he wrote out a song, he had made his own notations up for the different chords. A circle was a C-chord. A square was an F-chord. An unhappy face was an A-minor. Belle was amused by this.
  James kept getting distracted by her proximity during the lesson, but he was able to get through it mostly. Finally, Belle was having a hard time performing a chord, and James reached his arm around her to show her the proper way.
  "Remember to hold it steady," he said to her. He did not remove his arm from around her.
  She looked up at him, her amber eyes sparkling. "Next?" she asked, meaning which chord to move to.
  "Next," he said, looking into her eyes. "I'm thinking of asking if I can kiss you."
  Her eyes widened, color rising in her cheeks again. "But... I thought... I was supposed to ask you?"
  "I'm willing to overlook that if you are," he said, never taking his eyes off her eyes. "May I kiss you, Miss Belle?"
  She took a moment to respond. "But... you haven't asked to court me yet... we haven't even had dinner."
  "Let's have dinner then."
  "Yes... dinner," she began to close the gap between them.
  James moved towards her, but suddenly stopped, and pulled away. She blinked a few times, confused.
  "As much as I'd like to kiss you, Miss Belle," he said, "It's not romantic or magical enough for your first time. It needs to be special."
  Her cheeks began to redden even more. "Dinner then?" she asked?
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 12 - Dinner
  James packed a picnic basket, including a blanket and red wine. Belle led him out to a nice spot in a clearing in a forest that she had discovered before. They talked a long time, the sun going down to be replaced by moonbeams. They began to talk about the future.
  "So, what are your plans now, Miss Belle?" James asked. "Sing, dance, and entertain?"
  "Live," she said. "Live and love and bring beauty into the world. Tell stories and laugh a lot."
  "That sounds wonderful," James said, completely forgetting the food and wine, enthralled by Belle.
  "Someday, have a little house," she continued. "With a wrap around porch and rocking chairs. Wall to wall bookcases inside."
  "And two or three redheaded children," he added.
  She looked at him slightly confused. She hadn't expected him to have thought of things like that.
  "I've had a rough life," he explained, noting her look. "Sometimes the call of a simple one rings loud."
  "Of course," she said, "I'd have to find the right man...."
  "Of course," he repeated her. "You deserve a good man."
  She smirked at him. "Know any?"
  "None that are worthy of you," was his quick response.
  He set down his wine and reached for her hand. She did not move it, though she hid her face in her glass as he took her hand.
  "You deserve a man," he said, "that looks at you, and sees the world. And who looks at the world, and sees only you."
  She put down her glass, and looked at him, the slight breeze making her white hair flow about her. "A man like you?" she asked quietly.
  He looked into her amber eyes for a long moment. "You deserve someone better than me. All I can do is to hope to be noticed by someone like you."
  "And how many times has that line worked for you, Cheeky Bard?"
  "I imagine," he answered, "that it would have worked a number of times, had I ever said it before."
  Her voice got even quieter. "Think it's going to work for you tonight?"
  He smiled at her. "I didn't say it for it to "work". I said it because I meant it."
 Â
  She smiled at him for a bit, with him looking back at her. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her. Finally he spoke.
  "Miss Belle?"
  "Yes, James?"
  "May I kiss you?"
  "Yes, James."
  James packed a picnic basket, including a blanket and red wine. Belle led him out to a nice spot in a clearing in a forest that she had discovered before. They talked a long time, the sun going down to be replaced by moonbeams. They began to talk about the future.
  "So, what are your plans now, Miss Belle?" James asked. "Sing, dance, and entertain?"
  "Live," she said. "Live and love and bring beauty into the world. Tell stories and laugh a lot."
  "That sounds wonderful," James said, completely forgetting the food and wine, enthralled by Belle.
  "Someday, have a little house," she continued. "With a wrap around porch and rocking chairs. Wall to wall bookcases inside."
  "And two or three redheaded children," he added.
  She looked at him slightly confused. She hadn't expected him to have thought of things like that.
  "I've had a rough life," he explained, noting her look. "Sometimes the call of a simple one rings loud."
  "Of course," she said, "I'd have to find the right man...."
  "Of course," he repeated her. "You deserve a good man."
  She smirked at him. "Know any?"
  "None that are worthy of you," was his quick response.
  He set down his wine and reached for her hand. She did not move it, though she hid her face in her glass as he took her hand.
  "You deserve a man," he said, "that looks at you, and sees the world. And who looks at the world, and sees only you."
  She put down her glass, and looked at him, the slight breeze making her white hair flow about her. "A man like you?" she asked quietly.
  He looked into her amber eyes for a long moment. "You deserve someone better than me. All I can do is to hope to be noticed by someone like you."
  "And how many times has that line worked for you, Cheeky Bard?"
  "I imagine," he answered, "that it would have worked a number of times, had I ever said it before."
  Her voice got even quieter. "Think it's going to work for you tonight?"
  He smiled at her. "I didn't say it for it to "work". I said it because I meant it."
 Â
  She smiled at him for a bit, with him looking back at her. He couldn't tear his gaze away from her. Finally he spoke.
  "Miss Belle?"
  "Yes, James?"
  "May I kiss you?"
  "Yes, James."
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 13 - The Rift
  James and Belle were inseparable from then on. They trained together, ate together, and danced together. Many moonlit talks together and a few months of saving up, and James bought them a nice house in the castle district of the town they lived in.
  The subject of marriage came up often, but it was put on hold time and time again, as James insisted that he wanted Belle to have the wedding that she had always dreamed of, until finally one day they eloped on the way to visit her family in Sembia. Her family came around to James, and they got along. James and Belle discovered that she was pregnant on that extended trip.
 Â
  On an island in the Moonshaes, there was a place that James liked to visit. The locals called it "The Rift". It was not unlike portals in Sigil, and possibly connected to the plane of Limbo. You could be walking, and suddenly teleport to a different location. A door may lead you to one location, only to lead you to another location later. James found this place fascinating. He entered the place often.
  On one such occasion, James found himself walking through a portal and came out in some place he had never been. He at first thought he had simply entered another large room in the rift, but soon realized this was not the case. Though he did not know where he was, he had landed himself in the bazaar of Sigil. He stayed for a while exploring. He felt instantly different while there, though he couldn't place his finger on it.
  He managed to find himself in Karasuthra, fighting some wolfs. The fight was going badly for him, and he thought he was going to fall in battle, when suddenly, things changed. He didn't realize what was going on at first, but he was biting at the wolves, and slashing at them with his ... claws?
  James didn't have much time to think on what was happening until after the fight was over. He stood up, and noticed the ground was further away than it had been before. He went to the waters of the Hidden Valley, and looked into the pools to see a copper dragon looking back at him. He did not panic, but was confused. He had seen polymorphing magic before, though he had never experienced it (that he knew of). And he already knew that most of his bardic spells were gone, and so magic worked differently here. He wondered if he had cast a spell on accident? That sometimes happened when you accessed the weave through sheet force of will or charisma.
  He decided that if he had accidentally cast a spell, surely he could undo it. He began to try to will himself back to his normal appearance, and after a few seconds of concentration, it seemed to work. Once he was himself again, he tried to enact the change again, and sure enough, he could shift back into a dragon. The crazy thing, was that he did this over and over and over, and felt no fatigue as he did when he had cast too many spells without rest.
  He began to talk to some of the locals, and in them asking about himself, he learned many things. Chief among them was that dragons were not uncommon in Sigil, and that they had the ability to shift from dragon to humanoid. But that dragon bloods, and even half dragons did not have this ability. This opened many questions for James. He decided to head back through the portal he entered, retrieve Belle, and further explore this new place and his new ability.
  James and Belle were inseparable from then on. They trained together, ate together, and danced together. Many moonlit talks together and a few months of saving up, and James bought them a nice house in the castle district of the town they lived in.
  The subject of marriage came up often, but it was put on hold time and time again, as James insisted that he wanted Belle to have the wedding that she had always dreamed of, until finally one day they eloped on the way to visit her family in Sembia. Her family came around to James, and they got along. James and Belle discovered that she was pregnant on that extended trip.
 Â
  On an island in the Moonshaes, there was a place that James liked to visit. The locals called it "The Rift". It was not unlike portals in Sigil, and possibly connected to the plane of Limbo. You could be walking, and suddenly teleport to a different location. A door may lead you to one location, only to lead you to another location later. James found this place fascinating. He entered the place often.
  On one such occasion, James found himself walking through a portal and came out in some place he had never been. He at first thought he had simply entered another large room in the rift, but soon realized this was not the case. Though he did not know where he was, he had landed himself in the bazaar of Sigil. He stayed for a while exploring. He felt instantly different while there, though he couldn't place his finger on it.
  He managed to find himself in Karasuthra, fighting some wolfs. The fight was going badly for him, and he thought he was going to fall in battle, when suddenly, things changed. He didn't realize what was going on at first, but he was biting at the wolves, and slashing at them with his ... claws?
  James didn't have much time to think on what was happening until after the fight was over. He stood up, and noticed the ground was further away than it had been before. He went to the waters of the Hidden Valley, and looked into the pools to see a copper dragon looking back at him. He did not panic, but was confused. He had seen polymorphing magic before, though he had never experienced it (that he knew of). And he already knew that most of his bardic spells were gone, and so magic worked differently here. He wondered if he had cast a spell on accident? That sometimes happened when you accessed the weave through sheet force of will or charisma.
  He decided that if he had accidentally cast a spell, surely he could undo it. He began to try to will himself back to his normal appearance, and after a few seconds of concentration, it seemed to work. Once he was himself again, he tried to enact the change again, and sure enough, he could shift back into a dragon. The crazy thing, was that he did this over and over and over, and felt no fatigue as he did when he had cast too many spells without rest.
  He began to talk to some of the locals, and in them asking about himself, he learned many things. Chief among them was that dragons were not uncommon in Sigil, and that they had the ability to shift from dragon to humanoid. But that dragon bloods, and even half dragons did not have this ability. This opened many questions for James. He decided to head back through the portal he entered, retrieve Belle, and further explore this new place and his new ability.
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 14 - Signs
  James and Belle settled into an apartment in Chirper's, and James began saving money for a house in the Clerk's Ward. He always wanted the best for Belle, and he wouldn't settle for anything less. He began treasure hunting as often as he could in order to buy the most expensive house he could. Things progressed without incident until he went to an impromptu party at Lance Marshby's shop. He accidentally bumped into a seer.
  "Hope your mother got safely away," the seer said.
  James was instantly curious. "Hope she got away?"
  "From the red, no?"
  James sat down next to the seer, careful to give her space, and began a quiet conversation with her.
  "Do you know something of my mother?" James asked.
  "Only that she's made of copper and fleeing from a red with an egg in her paws," the seer responded. "Good chance you're the one in the egg. Unless you're your mother, a red, or a third unseen spectator of that scene. But given your puzzlement, I'd go for the egg."
  That was the extent of the conversation. It gave James a lot to think of, though. Later, James met up with Ronja Leonhart, who had just bought a deck of card used for divination. They decided to have a go.
  Ronja explained that the first three cards would be to reveal James' past. He was intrigued. She flipped over the first card. It was the image of a book.
  "This one symbolized hidden truth," she said. James was instantly curious. Ronja flipped over a second card. It showed a picture of brass, with a brass dwarf.
  "This card represents an avoidance of danger," she said. "Although other might have fallen, you remained strong." James' curiosity only grew. She flipped over the last card, revealing a picture of a midwife.
  "This card is a key that shows new life entering into the world." James was overwhelmed at this point.
  "A hidden past, escaping danger, then a new life..." he said. "Kind of like ... the secret of a copper dragon running from a red with an egg in her claws...."
 The pieces started falling in place for James. He ended up going to Sharon Raynsford to ask her if she knew any way to try and find his mother. She told him that she could try a scrying. He and Belle showed up to Sharon's apartment with the lute that James' mother had given him. He gave Sharon a description of his mother as he remembered her.
  Sharon went into her bedroom to her mirror, and began the ritual, which took an hour. Eventually, an image showed up in the mirror. It showed a female copper dragon, who looked to be a young adult. Her eyes were blue, just like James' eyes. She was in a cave that seemed to have been shaped on purpose. And while there was treasure around her, there was not as much as one would have thought for a dragon of her age.
  James stepped to the mirror and took a look. "Can she hear us?" he asked Sharon.
  "No, but I can send a message through a spell," she replied.
  "Please... tell her I'm alive, and ask her where she is," James said.
  Sharon enacted the sending. "Hello, this is Sharon Raynsford, contacting you on behalf of James Cantor, your son. Where are you now?"
  The dragon in the mirror looked up at receiving the sending. She then responded out loud. "James... if James is alive, tell him to meet me at our house. Where he first held a sword. I will be there every day for a month. If I do not see him, I will assume this is a prank."
  "He will be there," Sharon responded for James.
  The dragon nodded, then enacted a spell, and the mirror went blank.
  James and Belle immediately began planning a trip to the Waterdeep area of Toril.
  James and Belle settled into an apartment in Chirper's, and James began saving money for a house in the Clerk's Ward. He always wanted the best for Belle, and he wouldn't settle for anything less. He began treasure hunting as often as he could in order to buy the most expensive house he could. Things progressed without incident until he went to an impromptu party at Lance Marshby's shop. He accidentally bumped into a seer.
  "Hope your mother got safely away," the seer said.
  James was instantly curious. "Hope she got away?"
  "From the red, no?"
  James sat down next to the seer, careful to give her space, and began a quiet conversation with her.
  "Do you know something of my mother?" James asked.
  "Only that she's made of copper and fleeing from a red with an egg in her paws," the seer responded. "Good chance you're the one in the egg. Unless you're your mother, a red, or a third unseen spectator of that scene. But given your puzzlement, I'd go for the egg."
  That was the extent of the conversation. It gave James a lot to think of, though. Later, James met up with Ronja Leonhart, who had just bought a deck of card used for divination. They decided to have a go.
  Ronja explained that the first three cards would be to reveal James' past. He was intrigued. She flipped over the first card. It was the image of a book.
  "This one symbolized hidden truth," she said. James was instantly curious. Ronja flipped over a second card. It showed a picture of brass, with a brass dwarf.
  "This card represents an avoidance of danger," she said. "Although other might have fallen, you remained strong." James' curiosity only grew. She flipped over the last card, revealing a picture of a midwife.
  "This card is a key that shows new life entering into the world." James was overwhelmed at this point.
  "A hidden past, escaping danger, then a new life..." he said. "Kind of like ... the secret of a copper dragon running from a red with an egg in her claws...."
 The pieces started falling in place for James. He ended up going to Sharon Raynsford to ask her if she knew any way to try and find his mother. She told him that she could try a scrying. He and Belle showed up to Sharon's apartment with the lute that James' mother had given him. He gave Sharon a description of his mother as he remembered her.
  Sharon went into her bedroom to her mirror, and began the ritual, which took an hour. Eventually, an image showed up in the mirror. It showed a female copper dragon, who looked to be a young adult. Her eyes were blue, just like James' eyes. She was in a cave that seemed to have been shaped on purpose. And while there was treasure around her, there was not as much as one would have thought for a dragon of her age.
  James stepped to the mirror and took a look. "Can she hear us?" he asked Sharon.
  "No, but I can send a message through a spell," she replied.
  "Please... tell her I'm alive, and ask her where she is," James said.
  Sharon enacted the sending. "Hello, this is Sharon Raynsford, contacting you on behalf of James Cantor, your son. Where are you now?"
  The dragon in the mirror looked up at receiving the sending. She then responded out loud. "James... if James is alive, tell him to meet me at our house. Where he first held a sword. I will be there every day for a month. If I do not see him, I will assume this is a prank."
  "He will be there," Sharon responded for James.
  The dragon nodded, then enacted a spell, and the mirror went blank.
  James and Belle immediately began planning a trip to the Waterdeep area of Toril.
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 15 - A Great Loss
  "Belle? BELLE?!" James yelled as he entered their room. He found Belle lying face down on the floor next to a table.
  He rolled her over, and she wasn't breathing. "Gods, no.... please no...."
  James had been in the square, talking with Lance, Marie, a hin named Frin, and some others. When someone was proposing a potentially dangerous experiment, James decided this would be a good time to go check on Belle. She had been tired with the pregnancy for a long time, but lately she had begun to feel ill. She had told James it was likely nothing to be worried about, but he still did.
  Once he found her lying there, he immediately picked her up and ran to the House of Healing, passing some in the square and yelling, "She's not breathing!" as he did so.
  He arrived at the House of Healing, and took Belle upstairs. They told James to wait downstairs, and said they'd do everything they could. He went back downstairs and started pacing.
  Marie and Lance followed James to the House of Healing, showing up shortly after he came back downstairs. Eventually Ronja and Derik showed up, and a few others. They kept James company while he was waiting for word from upstairs. Eventually, Argent went upstairs to see what was going on, followed closely by Derik. James waited downstairs.
  Derik came down after what seemed like hours. "James, we need to talk."
  James just nodded, and walked up to Derik.
  "James, she's got a congenital blood disease. It's unlikely she'll wake up."
  The next while was a haze to James. He went upstairs to see Belle's body. He sat there, looking at his life. His hopes, his dreams, his future. Suddenly gone. So many thoughts flooded through his mind. His wife was gone. The little three month baby bump on her unmoving body was a reminder that he had lost not only his wife, but his child as well.
  James had no idea how long he had been sitting there when Derik came back up. Argent followed shortly after, with a release form for Belle's body. James took her body, and went downstairs.
  "I'll need to take her to her family," he said to those gathered. Derik and Ronja offered their assistance, and Sharon told him that she would find a portal for him to use.
  He took Belle's body back to the room in Chirper's where he sat there looking at Belle for another good long while.
  "What do I do now?" he asked the unmoving body. "We had plans. We were going to buy a house..."
  The tears came unbidden. "You never got to see the dance studio I was having built for you. You would have loved it. And your office... trees and a waterfall, right in your office."
  "There's a theater in the house, complete with stage props. … but I'll never get to hear you sing again... never get to watch you dance..."
  "DAMNIT!" he yelled. "You never finished teaching me to dance!" He struck the bed with his fist, his voice lowering once again. "And now … and now you never will."
  "You'll never get to share the skies with me again," he continued. "I know how much you loved to fly on my back."
  He looked over into the corner and saw his lute. One constant in his life for the last several years. He walked over to it, and picked it up, and began playing a song he knew Belle loved. A song he had written, that played a part in her falling in love with him.
  "I dreamed a dream last night, and there was a princess with me.
  She was way up high in a tower, in a castle, safe in the keep.
  Then I realized who the princess was. You were the one in my dream.
  Then I looked at myself, and saw who I was. I was exactly what I wanted to be!"
  "I want to be your knight in shining armor. I want to always be there for you!
  No matter what you're going through. No matter how scared you are.
  I want to be there, for you."
 He began to put the lute away after the song, but instead decided to go for a walk. He took his lute with him. He stayed out a good long while with Derik, Ronja, Marie, and Lance, before he went back home.
  That evening, anyone paying attention in Karasuthra would have seen a copper dragon flying overhead, the body of a young woman clutched in his claws, sharing the skies one last time.
  "Belle? BELLE?!" James yelled as he entered their room. He found Belle lying face down on the floor next to a table.
  He rolled her over, and she wasn't breathing. "Gods, no.... please no...."
  James had been in the square, talking with Lance, Marie, a hin named Frin, and some others. When someone was proposing a potentially dangerous experiment, James decided this would be a good time to go check on Belle. She had been tired with the pregnancy for a long time, but lately she had begun to feel ill. She had told James it was likely nothing to be worried about, but he still did.
  Once he found her lying there, he immediately picked her up and ran to the House of Healing, passing some in the square and yelling, "She's not breathing!" as he did so.
  He arrived at the House of Healing, and took Belle upstairs. They told James to wait downstairs, and said they'd do everything they could. He went back downstairs and started pacing.
  Marie and Lance followed James to the House of Healing, showing up shortly after he came back downstairs. Eventually Ronja and Derik showed up, and a few others. They kept James company while he was waiting for word from upstairs. Eventually, Argent went upstairs to see what was going on, followed closely by Derik. James waited downstairs.
  Derik came down after what seemed like hours. "James, we need to talk."
  James just nodded, and walked up to Derik.
  "James, she's got a congenital blood disease. It's unlikely she'll wake up."
  The next while was a haze to James. He went upstairs to see Belle's body. He sat there, looking at his life. His hopes, his dreams, his future. Suddenly gone. So many thoughts flooded through his mind. His wife was gone. The little three month baby bump on her unmoving body was a reminder that he had lost not only his wife, but his child as well.
  James had no idea how long he had been sitting there when Derik came back up. Argent followed shortly after, with a release form for Belle's body. James took her body, and went downstairs.
  "I'll need to take her to her family," he said to those gathered. Derik and Ronja offered their assistance, and Sharon told him that she would find a portal for him to use.
  He took Belle's body back to the room in Chirper's where he sat there looking at Belle for another good long while.
  "What do I do now?" he asked the unmoving body. "We had plans. We were going to buy a house..."
  The tears came unbidden. "You never got to see the dance studio I was having built for you. You would have loved it. And your office... trees and a waterfall, right in your office."
  "There's a theater in the house, complete with stage props. … but I'll never get to hear you sing again... never get to watch you dance..."
  "DAMNIT!" he yelled. "You never finished teaching me to dance!" He struck the bed with his fist, his voice lowering once again. "And now … and now you never will."
  "You'll never get to share the skies with me again," he continued. "I know how much you loved to fly on my back."
  He looked over into the corner and saw his lute. One constant in his life for the last several years. He walked over to it, and picked it up, and began playing a song he knew Belle loved. A song he had written, that played a part in her falling in love with him.
  "I dreamed a dream last night, and there was a princess with me.
  She was way up high in a tower, in a castle, safe in the keep.
  Then I realized who the princess was. You were the one in my dream.
  Then I looked at myself, and saw who I was. I was exactly what I wanted to be!"
  "I want to be your knight in shining armor. I want to always be there for you!
  No matter what you're going through. No matter how scared you are.
  I want to be there, for you."
 He began to put the lute away after the song, but instead decided to go for a walk. He took his lute with him. He stayed out a good long while with Derik, Ronja, Marie, and Lance, before he went back home.
  That evening, anyone paying attention in Karasuthra would have seen a copper dragon flying overhead, the body of a young woman clutched in his claws, sharing the skies one last time.
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 16 - Belle's Homecoming
  James had only met Belle's family for a short time, when James and Belle had eloped and then visited them. And so, he did not stay long when he delivered her body.
  The trip was pretty uneventful. Sharon delivered on finding a portal to open, and Derik and Ronja accompanied James. Once they were through, Derik used a couple of scrolls of teleportation to retrieve Lannia from Ulgoth's Beard. Derik and Lannia ended up giving a contact medallion to Belle's family as a gift, and let them know if they needed anything, to contact them.
  James didn't stay around for the funeral. He decided to let the family have their own mourning period, absent him. Instead, the group of friends went out to eat and drink and talk about their best memories of Belle.
  It was a sad time, but James was surrounded by friends. It was amazing how one could be surrounded by people, yet feel so alone.
  Back in Sigil, James arrived to the room he had shared with his wife. He saw her perfumes, her jewelry, and trinkets he had bought her. He thought of their time in the Moonshaes, meeting Belle in the vineyards where he would talk to her as she picked grapes and worked on making wine. He thought of other memories, but mostly he thought of her. Her laugh, her smile, her deep amber eyes. The way her white hair danced in even the slightest breeze. And he allowed himself a comfort he hadn't since the day that Belle died. He let himself cry.
  James didn't know how long he'd been crying. Could have been a few minutes, it could have been a few hours. When his tears finally ceased to fall, he found himself kneeling by the bed, clutching one of Belle's dresses that still had her scent on it. He knew that due to her fey blood, she smelled like whatever comforted and attracted the person who she was around. To him, she had always smelled like the salty sea air. He couldn't describe the way her dress smelled to him, except for one word. It smelled like Belle.
  He began to pack up her things. He decided to keep a few things of hers out, for sentimental reasons. A bottle of her wine that she had made. The dress he had been clutching. He then looked down to his hand, where he wore his wedding band. He had left Belle's wedding band on her. He pulled off his wedding band, and found a silver chain of Belle's. He slipped his wedding band onto the chain, and put the chain around his neck.
  He continued to pack up her things, stopping when he needed to. Once her things were packed up, he squared his shoulders and looked around the room. It seemed empty. Devoid of life.
  "So full of things, yet so empty," he thought. "A nice metaphor for life."
  "Bah," he continued. "Belle would have my hide if she heard me talking like that." He squared his shoulders another time.
  "Belle," he said out loud to the room. "I'm going to miss you. You were my love, and my life. But I know how you'd want me to be. You'd want me to live life to the fullest. And so I intend on honoring your memory the best way I know how. By living."
  He knew the coming days and weeks would be tough. But he resolved to be tougher. He opened the door of the room and stepped outside. And he kept going. He didn't have a destination. He knew he just needed to keep moving.
  James had only met Belle's family for a short time, when James and Belle had eloped and then visited them. And so, he did not stay long when he delivered her body.
  The trip was pretty uneventful. Sharon delivered on finding a portal to open, and Derik and Ronja accompanied James. Once they were through, Derik used a couple of scrolls of teleportation to retrieve Lannia from Ulgoth's Beard. Derik and Lannia ended up giving a contact medallion to Belle's family as a gift, and let them know if they needed anything, to contact them.
  James didn't stay around for the funeral. He decided to let the family have their own mourning period, absent him. Instead, the group of friends went out to eat and drink and talk about their best memories of Belle.
  It was a sad time, but James was surrounded by friends. It was amazing how one could be surrounded by people, yet feel so alone.
  Back in Sigil, James arrived to the room he had shared with his wife. He saw her perfumes, her jewelry, and trinkets he had bought her. He thought of their time in the Moonshaes, meeting Belle in the vineyards where he would talk to her as she picked grapes and worked on making wine. He thought of other memories, but mostly he thought of her. Her laugh, her smile, her deep amber eyes. The way her white hair danced in even the slightest breeze. And he allowed himself a comfort he hadn't since the day that Belle died. He let himself cry.
  James didn't know how long he'd been crying. Could have been a few minutes, it could have been a few hours. When his tears finally ceased to fall, he found himself kneeling by the bed, clutching one of Belle's dresses that still had her scent on it. He knew that due to her fey blood, she smelled like whatever comforted and attracted the person who she was around. To him, she had always smelled like the salty sea air. He couldn't describe the way her dress smelled to him, except for one word. It smelled like Belle.
  He began to pack up her things. He decided to keep a few things of hers out, for sentimental reasons. A bottle of her wine that she had made. The dress he had been clutching. He then looked down to his hand, where he wore his wedding band. He had left Belle's wedding band on her. He pulled off his wedding band, and found a silver chain of Belle's. He slipped his wedding band onto the chain, and put the chain around his neck.
  He continued to pack up her things, stopping when he needed to. Once her things were packed up, he squared his shoulders and looked around the room. It seemed empty. Devoid of life.
  "So full of things, yet so empty," he thought. "A nice metaphor for life."
  "Bah," he continued. "Belle would have my hide if she heard me talking like that." He squared his shoulders another time.
  "Belle," he said out loud to the room. "I'm going to miss you. You were my love, and my life. But I know how you'd want me to be. You'd want me to live life to the fullest. And so I intend on honoring your memory the best way I know how. By living."
  He knew the coming days and weeks would be tough. But he resolved to be tougher. He opened the door of the room and stepped outside. And he kept going. He didn't have a destination. He knew he just needed to keep moving.
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 17 - Afraid to be Happy
  He was happy. He was smiling. He was having a good time. … And he was feeling guilty about it. Belle had been dead only a short time, and here he was, enjoying the company of another woman. He had no intentions with her. But she made him feel happy. And that made him feel bad.
  Was that rational? He was just showing a new, cage-struck individual around, and enjoying it. He showed her where to find a room in at Chirper's, showed her the tailor, and showed her the Secret Valley of Karasuthra. … Why did he take her there? Because he was just showing her a nice place to unwind, of course. That had to be the reason.
  While there, the subject of Belle came up. And suddenly, a hand was on his arm. Her hand.
  "Does it help to talk about her?" She asked. "If so, I can listen. Or we can sit in silence if you want."
  James didn't know how he felt about that. He was very aware of her hand on his arm. It took him a minute to respond.
  "No, I don't want to bring the mood down," he said. "After all, you just met me."
  They ended up leaving Karasuthra pretty abruptly. James came back later to fly around and do some thinking.
  He found her again the next day, and they chatted for a while, and he ended up taking her to the sewers for some training. Afterwards, they went to the bazaar and sat for a bit, talking with other people until Lewre mentioned she was hungry. So James took her to Daisy's for some pastry and coffee. And somehow... he ended up inviting her for a dinner he would cook for her.
  At the end of the evening, he walked her to her room in Chirper's, then headed back out for some treasure hunting and thinking.
  He was happy. He was smiling. He was having a good time. … And he was feeling guilty about it. Belle had been dead only a short time, and here he was, enjoying the company of another woman. He had no intentions with her. But she made him feel happy. And that made him feel bad.
  Was that rational? He was just showing a new, cage-struck individual around, and enjoying it. He showed her where to find a room in at Chirper's, showed her the tailor, and showed her the Secret Valley of Karasuthra. … Why did he take her there? Because he was just showing her a nice place to unwind, of course. That had to be the reason.
  While there, the subject of Belle came up. And suddenly, a hand was on his arm. Her hand.
  "Does it help to talk about her?" She asked. "If so, I can listen. Or we can sit in silence if you want."
  James didn't know how he felt about that. He was very aware of her hand on his arm. It took him a minute to respond.
  "No, I don't want to bring the mood down," he said. "After all, you just met me."
  They ended up leaving Karasuthra pretty abruptly. James came back later to fly around and do some thinking.
  He found her again the next day, and they chatted for a while, and he ended up taking her to the sewers for some training. Afterwards, they went to the bazaar and sat for a bit, talking with other people until Lewre mentioned she was hungry. So James took her to Daisy's for some pastry and coffee. And somehow... he ended up inviting her for a dinner he would cook for her.
  At the end of the evening, he walked her to her room in Chirper's, then headed back out for some treasure hunting and thinking.
-
*Sapper_Woody
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 19 - The Next Step
  James took Lewre to the Bird of Paradise restaurant and inn in the City of Brass. It was the day after he told her that he thought he loved her. She had spent hours preparing her dress, though she didn't put it on until they were inside the inn. James paid for a room for them to get dressed in, and sent her in first to change. He smiled as she came out, a vision of beauty, wearing a green floor length dress.
  "That looks nice," he said as she twirled around so he could see the dress.
  "You like it?" she asked.
  "I do," he replied, and then went into the room to change into his fancier blue coat.
  Once they were both ready, they found a table and ordered some food. James put his arm around Lewre in the booth, and she settled in nicely to his side.
  "Have I told you I like it here?" she asked, looking up to him. James thought she was talking about the restaurant.
  "Not yet, but I hoped you would," he said.
  She grinned at him. "The restaurant is nice, too."
  "Oooh," James said as he got her meaning. He gave her a smile.
  They began talking about how everyone had a flaw.
  "My flaw," Lewre said, "Is that I overthink things."
  "You spend all last night thinking, I'm guessing?" James asked.
  "Yes," she replied. "Most of it, anyway."
  "Sorry about that," James said. "Probably not the best time to say something like that; right when you're going to bed."
  "Or the best time," she chuckled at him. "I missed out on sleep, but I had a lot of time to think."
  They chatted for a little while longer, then James looked to Lewre.
  "You know, last night, I said I think I love you. And then I went out and thought about it for a while. And I decided I was sure."
  She took a while to respond, but then said, "Is that why you've taken Belle's ring off your neck?"
  "You noticed that, huh?" James replied.
  "Nearly right away," Lewre said. "But I didn't know how to bring it up."
  James nodded. "I put it in my drawer. She was a part of my life, and was very special to me. But, she's gone. And if I'm to move on … then I need to move on."
  "James," Lewre began, "Can you tell me why you love me? How can you be so sure?"
  He though for a minute before responding. "You have become a part of my life. A big part. And if you were gone, I'd miss you. A lot. As if a piece of me were gone."
  She didn't speak for several minutes. Finally, she spoke up. "I feel like it should be too soon to be feeling the way I do about you. I'm not sure that it's love. But I do care about you. A lot. My heart feels like it's home when I'm with you."
  Their food showed up about then, and with the moment broken, they reverted to small chat for the rest of the dinner. They ended up back in James' apartment where they had some coffee and danced for a bit, before heading out. James eventually took her to see the public baths in the Gymnasium, and since no one else was around, they decided on a soak.
  "I have a question for you," James said. "Which do you like better? James the dragon, or James the man?"
  "I wouldn't say I like either one more or less than the other," she responded. "But I do know this..." She hesitated a moment, but spoke up soon enough. "I do love James the man."
  "And I love Lewre, the human," he said with a smile.
  Eventually, James changed into a dragon to allow Lewre to practice riding on his back in a safe place, where if she fell she would only hit the water. They practiced this for a bit, with James jumping out of water to simulate the jerk she would feel if he took off from the ground. He then changed back into "James the Man" and held Lewre for a bit longer.
  "I love you, Lewre," he said.
  "I love you, too, James," she replied.
  "James," she continued, "You can kiss me if you want to."
  "Are you sure?" he asked.
  "I'm sure," she said.
  And so the two shared their first kiss.
  James took Lewre to the Bird of Paradise restaurant and inn in the City of Brass. It was the day after he told her that he thought he loved her. She had spent hours preparing her dress, though she didn't put it on until they were inside the inn. James paid for a room for them to get dressed in, and sent her in first to change. He smiled as she came out, a vision of beauty, wearing a green floor length dress.
  "That looks nice," he said as she twirled around so he could see the dress.
  "You like it?" she asked.
  "I do," he replied, and then went into the room to change into his fancier blue coat.
  Once they were both ready, they found a table and ordered some food. James put his arm around Lewre in the booth, and she settled in nicely to his side.
  "Have I told you I like it here?" she asked, looking up to him. James thought she was talking about the restaurant.
  "Not yet, but I hoped you would," he said.
  She grinned at him. "The restaurant is nice, too."
  "Oooh," James said as he got her meaning. He gave her a smile.
  They began talking about how everyone had a flaw.
  "My flaw," Lewre said, "Is that I overthink things."
  "You spend all last night thinking, I'm guessing?" James asked.
  "Yes," she replied. "Most of it, anyway."
  "Sorry about that," James said. "Probably not the best time to say something like that; right when you're going to bed."
  "Or the best time," she chuckled at him. "I missed out on sleep, but I had a lot of time to think."
  They chatted for a little while longer, then James looked to Lewre.
  "You know, last night, I said I think I love you. And then I went out and thought about it for a while. And I decided I was sure."
  She took a while to respond, but then said, "Is that why you've taken Belle's ring off your neck?"
  "You noticed that, huh?" James replied.
  "Nearly right away," Lewre said. "But I didn't know how to bring it up."
  James nodded. "I put it in my drawer. She was a part of my life, and was very special to me. But, she's gone. And if I'm to move on … then I need to move on."
  "James," Lewre began, "Can you tell me why you love me? How can you be so sure?"
  He though for a minute before responding. "You have become a part of my life. A big part. And if you were gone, I'd miss you. A lot. As if a piece of me were gone."
  She didn't speak for several minutes. Finally, she spoke up. "I feel like it should be too soon to be feeling the way I do about you. I'm not sure that it's love. But I do care about you. A lot. My heart feels like it's home when I'm with you."
  Their food showed up about then, and with the moment broken, they reverted to small chat for the rest of the dinner. They ended up back in James' apartment where they had some coffee and danced for a bit, before heading out. James eventually took her to see the public baths in the Gymnasium, and since no one else was around, they decided on a soak.
  "I have a question for you," James said. "Which do you like better? James the dragon, or James the man?"
  "I wouldn't say I like either one more or less than the other," she responded. "But I do know this..." She hesitated a moment, but spoke up soon enough. "I do love James the man."
  "And I love Lewre, the human," he said with a smile.
  Eventually, James changed into a dragon to allow Lewre to practice riding on his back in a safe place, where if she fell she would only hit the water. They practiced this for a bit, with James jumping out of water to simulate the jerk she would feel if he took off from the ground. He then changed back into "James the Man" and held Lewre for a bit longer.
  "I love you, Lewre," he said.
  "I love you, too, James," she replied.
  "James," she continued, "You can kiss me if you want to."
  "Are you sure?" he asked.
  "I'm sure," she said.
  And so the two shared their first kiss.