Chapter Text
“...I am not calling you that.” Nempori furrowed his eyebrows as the points of his ears fell back. Callissa bristled a bit at the harsh reply.
“What? Why? Daze, what’s wrong with his name?” She asked and stepped forward. Nempori, almost on instinct, took three steps backward and away from the tiefling warrior. They were speaking in a language he didn’t recognize and it made chest constrict with anxiety. Daze cleared her hands and held them up for Nempori to see she meant him no harm.
”F'sarn naut lar'ild dos nindel. (I am not calling you that)” Daze repeated, softer, and this time in a language the frightened man in front of her could understand. A series of emotions flashed across his face and she could almost see him bristle.
”Daze?” Gor-el tried this time, but rather then his usual gruff voice, it was softened. It was a lot like the voice he would use when soothing a scared animal. Daze kept her eyes on Nempori though, afraid that if she looked away he would bolt.
Nempori looked up at the towering green paladin now who seemed to be trying to make himself smaller and that confused him even more. He had just watched these five take down dozens in a matter of minutes and now, they seemed like completely different people as they tried, albeit very awkwardly, to seem less threatening. To make themselves more vulnerable to him as they put various weapons away.
It was either very stupid, very brave, or a very clever way to try to manipulate him.
Then she asked for his name and didn’t like his answer, she wanted his real name. It was something Nempori had vehemently guarded and kept close to his heart. It was all he had that was his and he did not want to share it.
And she kept staring at him as if he’d disappear. It gave him chills and made him want to vanish all at once. He had been so very vulnerable with her in his dreams but now, she was real and standing in front of him and he didn’t even know if she had shared his dreams. He had always wished she’d come and free him but now that she was here and it was happening, he didn’t know what he wanted or if he wanted to go with her.
“His name, Nempori... it’s Drowish for ugly.” Daze said, audibly straining to keep her voice even. You could hear a pin drop with how quiet her companions were in that moment.
“But... that- that can’t be his real name though?” Thalia asked now, a hand on Dazes shoulder.
“Vel'bol zhah dosst trantz kaas? (What is your real name?)” Daze asked and watched the man in front of her back up even more. His slender and muddied fingers began to twist the sleeve of the shirt tied around his waist and he dropped his gaze.
Then he shook his head and flinched. Realizing what he had just done he looked up quickly again as if waiting to be hit for the blatant refusal to answer the question. Daze noticed now how the tan sleeves were slowing turning a reddish brown as they twisted around his hands.
“Can i take a look?” Opium asked slowly stepping forward. Nemporis gaze snapped to him quickly and Opium held out his hands palms up as he stepped closer still. He paused ever few moments between steps and Nempori didn’t move. He didn’t back away either though and Opium took it as permission to step closer.
”Safe. Sreen'aur.” Opium said slowly as he reached for Nemporis hands now. Daze raised an eyebrow. Of corse Opium knew Undercommon, or at least, a little bit anyway. That seemed to be enough though as Nempori glanced over at Daze and she gave a small nod of encouragement.
“Let me fix that, it’ll help.” Opium muttered in common as he gently took Nemporis hands in his own and his fingers shone a soft white. He didn’t know what the man was saying and Nempori felt his hands trembling as his muscles were tensed to pull away at the first indication of pain. It was just fuzzy though, and the cuts from working in the dirt all day became numb and after a few moments didn’t hurt at all anymore.
He didn’t know why he let this short man heal him. Or even approach him in the first place, these people were dangerous.
Daze could see the confusion written across the Drows face as he examined his hands once Opium backed up a few paces. They were still caked with dirt but the purple of what Daze assumed was blisters was gone and his hands were a deep blue and moved without the stiffness they had a few moments ago.
“Ele xunus dos o'goth uns'aa? (Why did you heal me?)” Nempori muttered, his voice and was deep and rough as if he hadn’t really spoken much to anyone in a long time. It took Daze a few moments to translate his question in her head. She only used some of the words he said but from context she felt like she had a solid guess.
”What’s he saying?” Callissa asked as she stepped forward again. Nempori jumped at her sudden movement and backed up a pace once more. Callissa frowned and then seeming remembered how the Jen-like black plate armour and her contrasting vibrant red skin could intimidate people who’d never encountered a tiefling before. Although, looking at how the drow man watched all of them now, she doubted he’d ever seen anyone but other drow before them.
”He wants to know why Opium healed him.” Daze translated and Callissa nodded.
“Xxizz dos. Sreen'aur. (Help you. Safe.)” Opium said and Nempori watched them for a long moment.
“Dos jivviim lil' byrren, ele xunus dos xxizz uns'aa? (You hurt the others, why did you help me?)” Nempori asked again and looked at Daze for the answer. He took a small step forward now.
Nempori watched Daze now and he felt a spark of hope as she held her hands up in a neutral gesture. He felt hope boil in his chest, hoping she’d know who he was. He had to ask.
“Xun dos ajak uns'aa? (Do you remember me?)”
Daze only nodded and and Nemporis shoulders relaxed and he let out a deep breath. He felt better somehow now. Still anxious but better. It was a feeling he could get used to.
”Sorin. Ussta kaas zhah Sorin.” The group didn’t need a translation for that. It was his name. Sorin.
Daze liked that a lot better then Nempori, Ugly. Sorin suited him much better anyway.
Thalia moved slowly and pointed at him. “Sorin,” she said slowly and then placed her hand on her own chest, “Thalia.”
The others followed suit one after the other and Daze took her turn last. She stepped up to him slowly and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
”Sorin,” then without moving taking her hand away she put the other on her own chest, “Daze.”
Sorin smiled now. The first real smile he’d had in a long time and nodded. He had a name now. He knew her name now.
Then she took a step back and slowly lowered to one knee in front of him the way he had seen people kneel before the high priestesses or even the Queen, never to some only like him though.
“Can I take this off? Shlu'ta usstan plynn nindol tir?” Daze asked in both Common and Drowish. With the same slow movements she reached for her lock pick kit on her belt and laid the tools on the dirt between them. Then slowly she placed her hand on the metal manacle around his bruised ankle.
Sorins eyes watered a bit. He grit his teeth against the onslaught of emotion that threatened to show itself. How odd it was, his dream was happening but in the oddest setting imaginable. Standing in front of Daze, surrounded by his unconscious peers and the warriors who had swiftly incapacitated them, and about to be rid of the band that had been a symbol of his enslavement for years.
He nodded and Daze picked up a few tools and began to pick the lock. The simple task that had taken hours and endless attempts that resulted in failure in their dreams now only took second as the lock clicked and fell to the ground.
His ankle was raw and bruised but he was free. Daze picked up her tools and watched the length of chain drop to the dirt as Sorin untied it from his waist and let it fall.
Then he launched himself into Daze and clung to her. He trembled violently as he fought to breath through the emotions welling up in his throat.
Daze held him with equal force as she she fell backward on her rear and she felt Sorin tuck his face into her neck. There stayed that way only for a moment before Sorin came back to his senses and ripped himself away.
It was too much. That was too much, he was too vulnerable with these people. He didn’t really know them, didn’t really know Daze. But it had felt good, felt right. Their embrace had felt the way it always had in their dreams.
Sorin muttered a quiet apology. And Daze stood dusting her clothes off. The others didn’t seem quite sure how to react as they watched awkwardly from the side lines.
“What should we do about them?” Thalia asked and everyone looked at her then at the drow who were beginning to stir.
”We need to go back and regroup. If we take him with us-“ Daze cut Gor off.
“I am not leaving him.”
”Okay, after we take him with us, we should use what he knows to better plan this out and see what we are walking into for the rest of the mission.” There was a chorus of agreement from everyone. This was their opportunity to better prepare and now after having attacked a bunch of almost civilians, their presence was going to be known soon.
Daze turned back to Sorin and held an almost tentative hand out to him. He stared at it then her in confusion.
“Orn dos doer xuil udossa? (Will you come with us?)” Daze asked and gave a soft smile while taking a slow step back. The others were growing rapidly anxious at the slow stirring of the other drow and Sorin looked at them nervously.
“Usstan am… im stre… (I am… I’m afraid…)” Sorin replied in almost a whisper, his voice still sore from little use and little water. He stepped forward though, and with every slow step back she took he took another forward unconsciously. It felt like this would be another cruel dream ending before his eyes if he didn’t keep close to her.
“Uns'aa ichl. Usstan ser dos sreen'aur. (Me too. I’ll keep you safe.)” Daze replied and Sorin finally grasped her hand. Daze wasted to time immediately hauling the both of them back the way her group had came at the fastest pace she could manage while almost dragging Sorin behind.
Sorin kept pace with her surprisingly fast steps as she caught them up with the group and disappeared into the tree line out of sight of the waking drow workers.
Sorin only made it to the tree line though. He collapsed with a cry and his shaking arms did little to soften the impact as he fell face first into the the forest floor. Daze was beside him is nanoseconds as Sorin tried to upright himself with great heaving breaths. His head was spinning and his vision blurred with pain and exhaustion.
Daze watched him grit his teeth to stifle further noise as he clutched he right foot and tried to struggle up again. Gor spun back to see the commotion and the looked over their heads.
“We need to keep moving, now!” He said and Daze nodded. She knew that there would be pursuers shortly and they were still too close for comfort.
”Mir pholor. (Hold on.)” Daze said as she swiftly scooped up the surprisingly heavy drow man into her arms. Sorin let another yelp out and instinctively cling to her shoulders as she hoisted him up with and arm under his knees and the other around his back. Sorin wasn’t sure if she was familiar enough with drow to know the the deep purple across his cheeks was from his embarrassment and not his normal state.
Daze didn’t notice though as she held him tightly to her chest and took off after the group at a near sprint. Sorin did his best to stay still but the pain of the welts on his back were still fresh and he had to grit his teeth harder as he buried his face in Dazes leather clad shoulder to muffle the sounds of pain escaping him. After a few minutes of sprinting with the group, their pace slowed to a manageable speed and began to look for suitable hiding places that they may have passed on the way there.
Sorin still cling tight to Daze though and with every movement let out a faint whimper of pain. It didn’t take terribly long for Daze to realize what was wrong and re adjusted accordingly. She scolded herself mentally as she gently set him down and turned to back to him. She glanced over her shoulder to him and motioned him forward to get on her back.
Sorin awkwardly climbed into her back, carful of the various weapons and pack that she wore as she gently secured his hands around her shoulders while she held him up with her hands gripping under his thighs as he cling to her back.
“Here, there is a bluff up a head that we can camp out on.” Gor called to them all through the rings and pointed to a small cliff that they had seen and marks don the map during their journey from the last camp site. They jogged another ten minutes before they reached the edge of the bluff and Thalia waisted no time as she shifted into a large eagle and let Callissa climb onto her back. Opium held out his arms and as Thalia took off, her talons gripped him around his biceps and she swooped down the bluff with her companions in tow.
Sorin gapped in amazement at the sight of the small brow skinned woman turning into a large unfamiliar feather creature. He was stunned even more so at the complete trust her companions had in her that she wouldn’t hurt them in that state.
Moments later, Thalia swooped up and in an obviously practiced motion, Gor-el held up a solid rod with both hands as Thalia’s sharp talons gripped tight before lifting the large paladin up and swooped down the bluff once more.
Daze stood silent for a moment, scanning their surroundings intently as their waited for Thalia to return. There was no movement though or hint of pursuit and Daze felt satisfied their their rapid pace had given them ample time to find a suitable hiding spot.
Thalia swooped up one last time and landed in almost a bow as she lowered her back enough for one of them to climb on.
“Daze…” Sorin began but was obviously at a lack of words and incredibly nervous. Daze took his hand once more and placed in on the soft feather of Thalia’s back so he could feel the large creatures breath. Thalia held still and she watched the surroundings in place on the currently distracted rouge.
“Sreen'aur. (Safe).” It was a word Sorin had often heard from Daze in his dreams as she held him and he felt a rush of emotion overcome him again. He carefully climbed onto the large eagles back and gripped tightly at the feathers in-front of him as he tried to brace himself for the ride. A moment later he felt Dazes warm body press against his back. Her arms came around his waist and she leaned against his beaten back as she gripped the feathers next to his own hands. Despite the pain from the contact of her leather against his wounds he was grateful that she had effectively secured him in place atop the large birds back with her own body.
Thalia took off again, seemingly without warning once more unbeknownst to Sorin that Daze had given her the all good signal through their joined rings. Sorin squeezed his eyes shut as they soared down the bluff face and gently landed moments later on the solid ground below.
Daze gently eased his stiff fingers from Thalia’s feathers and climbed down herself before helping Sorin down. The overwhelmed drow man shook lightly as Daze steadied him and guided him almost uncomfortably close to the group while the large eagle huddled in behind them. Opium was chanting under his breath as an object obscured from Sorins view pulsed bright in his hands.
The air shimmered around them and Daze watched as the familiar near invisible walls solidified around them. In the shadow of the bluff with the solid dirt wall behind them seemed as good a place as any to set camp